Rising violence in GP surgeries should serve as a wake-up call. The pressure on the UK’s health system is not sustainable
The substantial recent rise in criminal acts of violence at GP surgeries across the UK should be a wake-up call for the health secretary and the public. Pressure on primary care has been building for years. The situation is now increasingly alarming for doctors as well as patients. A freedom of information request by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) revealed that police are recording an average of three violent incidents at surgeries every day. GPs have told the Guardian of angry patients breaking doors down and threatening to stab them.
This is dangerous for doctors and other staff, particularly receptionists in public areas. While attacks on hospital staff have also increased, there is a different dynamic in GP surgeries, which are smaller and do not have the same security arrangements.
