 Violence in A&E is increasingly common |
As many as one in three doctors may have been verbally or physically attacked by patients or their families in the past year. A survey of 826 doctors by the British Medical Association has found that 326 experienced some form of violence in the workplace recently.
Doctors say they have been sworn and shouted at, threatened and assaulted. Some have suffered serious injuries.
The BMA said the findings highlighted the need for urgent action.
Verbal abuse
Of those who experienced violence in the past year, almost all said they had been verbally abused.
This mostly took the form of shouting or swearing. In some cases, the comments were racist.
Some 44% said they had been threatened and 22% said they had been physically assaulted. This ranged from being pushed and shoved, hit and punched to being threatened with a knife, broken glass and even a computer screen.
Among those who were assaulted, one in three suffered injuries. Some 6% said their injuries were serious.
The survey suggests that most violent incidents take place on the hospital ward or in the GP's office.
In many cases, patients have health or personal problems that may explain why they act in a violent way.
However, in other cases they are simply intoxicated with drugs or alcohol or unhappy with the service they received.
In most cases, patients abuse their doctor. However, in others it is one of their relatives or friends.
The survey suggests that doctors take action in most cases.
Two out of three incidents are reported to the police or result in patients being denied treatment again.
Urgent action
"Doctors and indeed no one working in a hospital or GP practice should have to put up with the threat of physical or verbal abuse," said BMA chairman Mr James Johnson.
"We're talking about people who go to work in order to try to alleviate pain and treat ill health.
"The fact that half of them expect to be punched, kick or shouted at cannot be tolerated."
Dr Vijoy Kumar Singh, a GP in Highfields, in Leicester, said there is violence almost every day in his surgery. "There is verbal violence every day at the reception desk and we even had bullet-proof glass installed at the surgery as a precaution," he said.
"I have heard of GPs stabbed in the Highfields area in the past and some have moved out because of violence."
The BMA has called for all healthcare staff to receive training to help them deal with potentially violent incidents.
"Training should be in place for all health care staff and should cover such issues as methods of restraint, communication, managing aggression and personal safety," the report says.
The BMA has also urged trusts to make patients aware that violence is no longer tolerated. It said staff should be obliged to report violent incidents.
Politicians concerned
Health Secretary John Reid said he was concerned about rising levels of violence in the NHS.
"Abuse against people who are working flat out to help fellow citizens is disgusting," he said.
Shadow Health Secretary Liam Fox said: "Doctors and nurses deserve better - they should not have to work in fear.
"Those working within the NHS are delivering a vital service for the public - it is inexcusable that so many face physical and verbal abuse."
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow called for tougher penalties for people who assault NHS staff.
"It is wholly unacceptable that the work of doctors is being conducted in a climate of simmering violence from people who are often rowdy or drunk."
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Abuse against people who are working flat out to help fellow citizens is disgusting 
