Doctors are worried about the safety of staff

Many are concerned that while the numbers of attacks on front-line medical staff are growing, in some parts of the country there are still no facilities for GPs to treat violent patients in safety.

A deadline set by the Welsh Health Minister Jane Hutt for so called "safe-havens" to be set up across Wales passed more than three months ago.

But doctors have told BBC Wales that in many parts the target has not been met.

Protection worries

While a scheme in Cardiff is up and running doctors say that this is not the case everywhere.

The assembly says it will be reviewing the situation later this month.

In March it was revealed that violent patients who have been barred by their own GPs will have to travel to a Newport police station to get treatment.

A so-called 'secure surgery' was set up at Maindee police station for around 25 people, from the old Gwent area, who have been expelled from GP lists.

People were to be seen once a week by a GP in a specially-provided room with a police officer stationed outside the door.

We have a duty of care and have to do something about it Dr Greg Graham

"We are only talking about a small number of people," said Dr Greg Graham, member of the Gwent Local Medical Committee.

"Most of the people don't tend to need a lot of medical attention, they tend to be young males, not disabled people in their 60s or 70s," he said.

Dr Graham, a GP at Pontypool's Trosnant Lodge, added: "Just as teachers get abuse and policemen, doctors and their staff get abused as well - it's a sign of the times."

Dr Graham's reception area will have a bullet-proof screen fitted next week because of a recent verbal attack on a member of staff.

"We have a duty of care and have to do something about it.

"This is not just people who have been a little angry - the doctor or the staff have felt it is sufficient to have phoned the police.

"In order for a patient to qualify - if that is the right word - the person would have to have been pretty much arrested," he added.

Maindee's list of patients would draw from Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Newport, Monmouthshire and Caerphilly.

Transport problems for patients were being tackled with an alternative 'secure surgery' being looked at for Pontypridd.

Gwent Community Health Council chief officer Peter Johns said the new system was a "necessary evil".

"It is only for patents who have made it impossible to be treated safely in their own GP practice, it is self-inflicted.

"We are in support of this, albeit it is not an ideal situation for everyone," he added.

Mr Johns said his concern was that people were not put on the Maindee list "willy-nilly".

He has asked for staff training at GPs surgeries so potential confrontations are minimised.

Anyone who is expelled from a doctor's list can have their situation reviewed after a year.

They may be returned to another doctor's list in their community, said Dr Graham.