How Violence and Abuse is Now an Everyday Experience for the Family Doctor
By Madeleine Brindley
One in 10 doctors, including GPs, have been physically attacked, including being stabbed, kicked, punched, bitten and spat at in the past 12 months, according to research by the British Medical Association. Of these, one in three received minor injuries, and one in 20 was seriously injured. But BMA research, published today, revealed that most doctors who suffered violence – which includes aggressive and threatening behaviour – did not report the incident, suggesting an increasing acceptance that violence is part of the job.
Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the BMA’s Welsh Council, said, “Violence is increasing against those people whose job and vocation it is to help patients and who, because of their professionalism, are not in a position to protect or defend themselves. “Violent behaviour in a healthcare setting especially is totally unacceptable and NHS management, the police and the courts should prosecute and robustly deal with the small but disruptive and disrespectful minority of people who abuse the service.” Doctors said the most common reason for patients becoming violent was dissatisfaction with the service, including frustration with waiting times and refusal to prescribe medication. Dr Richard Lewis, the BMA’s Welsh secretary, said, “BMA Cymru/Wales deplores any attacks – verbal or physical – on doctors. It is a sad and tragic reflection on our society that people who work in the caring professions can be abused as they go about their daily work.
“This is an issue that society as a whole needs to tackle with some urgency.
“Verbal abuse has become commonplace over the last two years and I rarely meet a family practitioner who has not at some time felt physically threatened.
“This is a much wider phenomenon than is appreciated – not just an individual breakdown in the doctor-patient relationship.
“It is unfortunate that frequently we have to look to the police to resolve these matters, while it is more for the community at large to focus on resolving this sad trend.
“We must make it socially unacceptable for people to behave in this way towards dedicated health service staff.”
Dr David Bailey, chairman of the BMA’s GP committee, said, “Doctors in Wales are no longer prepared to face intimidation and violence while carrying out their normal, daily work.
“A violent patient can cause immense disruption to the day to day running of a practice. They create immense stress amongst doctors and their staff, but can also have a direct effect on other patients.
“An aggressive patient who is swearing and threatening staff in the reception area can severely frighten vulnerable patients like the elderly or the very young.
“There are too many examples right across Wales of doctors being assaulted, for example by being pinned up against the wall in their own surgery, criminal damage to waiting rooms and death threats, some involving weapons, made against practice staff.”
The evidence of violence towards doctors comes after a series of attacks on paramedics across Wales.
A Wales Audit Office report into the extent of violence against NHS staff found that there were almost 8,000 incidences of abuse a year in Wales, costing the NHS more than pounds 6m.
Dr Bailey added, “Ministers have repeatedly stated that there should be zero tolerance to violence of any sort in the NHS. We heartily agree and must ensure that the mechanisms are there to minimise the likelihood of attacks, to support staff who experience them and to ensure that anyone who commits it is dealt with appropriately.” A spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said, “Violence against, or abuse of, NHS staff is completely unacceptable. “All health professionals must report all incidents of violence and aggression so that measures are put in place to reduce the risk of further incidents and that action is taken against the perpetrator of such behaviour.”: FROM PAGE 15: One doctor had their glasses removed and was punched in the face:Dr Ian Millington has had to cope with numerous threats of violence and physical attacks from patients during his career as a GP. He has been threatened by a patient wielding a screwdriver who asked who he had to murder to get drugs and, on another occasion, a patient threatened to burn the Swansea GPs car. The patient who threatened him with the screwdriver was on parole at the time of the attack the case did not go to court, he was sent back to prison. Dr Millington, who is secretary of Morgannwg Local Medical Committee, said, We have had incidents where doctors have been beaten up and a few years ago a doctor was slashed with a knife. One patient took an axe into a surgery in Kingsway and damaged property and another doctor had their glasses removed and was punched in the face. There is a lot of shouting and threatening behaviour receptionists often get a lot of the abuse. There seems to be an ongoing cycle of violence, often from people who are violent in other areas of their life. GPs are seen as authority figures but we are also regarded as the people who have the power to prescribe the drugs they want and they think that if they kick off enough we will give up and give them what they want. The whole point of general practice is that it is based on mutual respect on both sides but sometimes that relationship can turn into a very nasty incident.: The most common drugs bought online:Prozac A pack of 30 tablets costs pounds 20 from online pharmacies. More than 3.5 million people in Britain take antidepressants, with Prozac among the most widely prescribed of its type. There have also been reports of clubbers self-medicating with Prozac to counter the come down from taking Ecstasy.
Viagra Four genuine tablets can cost around pounds 50. The drug nets maker Pfizer more than pounds 1bn a year and many more millions for the thousands of counterfeit copies that are available. Genuine, branded Viagra tablets cost around pounds 10 each, fakes are available for as little as pounds 2 each. Doctors are concerned that it has also become a clubbers drug with people mixing it with illegal substances such as Ecstasy despite warnings that it can carry risks of heart problems.
Valium Costs around pounds 50 for 30 tablets online. Recently, doctors have begun reporting a rise in the number of young women using the relaxant to sleep after taking cocaine or amphetamines. They are buying it online or obtaining it through the same dealers selling them illegal drugs.
Ritalin Costs around pounds 20 for 60 tablets. It has a chemical formula similar to cocaine and because it is an appetite suppressant, young girls and teenagers have been known to take it to keep slim. Serostim Costs around pounds 6 for one injection. It is used to help build up the strength of Aids patients who suffer debilitating weight loss. Body builders are buying it online to bulk out muscle and it also enables them to recover faster from work- outs. Women are even injecting it in an effort to combat the effects of ageing and there have been reports of people in the film industry using it to make their skin look tighter and younger. Provigil Costs around pounds 90 for 30 tablets online. Provigil is marketed as a treatment for narcolepsy, but suggestions that it could also help boost weight loss and mood have made it popular. Clubbers are using it to keep partying through the night, while businessmen are buying it to help them through long days in the office, and students are taking it to keep revising. Mixing it Pfizers Viagra tablets are one of the most common drugs bought online. Genuine ones cost around pounds 50 for four tablets while fakes go for around pounds 2 each. Doctors fear it has become a clubbers drug
(c) 2008 Western Mail. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.