Oxfordshire GP says there has been an "unacceptable" increase in abuse aimed at staff
A poll finds more than 80% of GP teams in the UK have been verbally attacked
An Oxfordshire GP has been telling us it's difficult to retain staff as they've experienced an "unacceptable" increase in abuse aimed at them.
It comes after a poll finds more than 80% of GP teams in the UK have been verbally attacked by patients.
‘Colleagues have had to go off sick because of the abuse’
Dr Ed Capo-Bianco is a GP at Goring and Woodcote medical practice, he said: “We have had cases of people who have been unacceptable; instances of abuse, I've had colleagues who've had some racial abuse as well.
“That's been really hard for them to take and for the rest of the team to see it as well.
So, I have had a couple of colleagues who've had to go off sick because of the abuse they've had from a patient.”
Dr Capo-Bianco says that they have noticed abuse is increasing, with verbal attacks of people being “angry and upset”.
He says, “I think it's the environment we're working in at the moment. People are stressed, anxious, and worried, but the resources are equally pretty constrained, such as in hospitals and we're often the first point of call.”
He added: “Reception teams are hard to come by. So, if you treat all the members of the team with due respect it will help us be able to retain staff and train staff, so that we have the workforce that we need to, to supply the care to our patients.”
“It is starting to get better”
One of England's leading medics has also suggested there has been an "extraordinary" increase in abuse aimed at GP teams, which is contributing to family doctors leaving the profession.
Dr Claire Fuller, primary care medical director for NHS England, said it is not acceptable to "bash" GPs, who are "exhausted" and working "flat out".
"When you talk to GPs about why they leave, they say one is about the workload and the other one is about respect," Dr Fuller told the PA news agency.
She said, "from the respect point of view" the "increase in violence to members of primary care teams is extraordinary that has happened, from attacks, both physical and verbal".
Dr Fuller also said there have been improvements in general practice emerging, adding: "There's variation, but actually we're starting to see improvement around the country," she said.
"Not only have we got more GPs, fewer GPs leaving, but we are also starting to see that patients' experience of access is starting to improve.
"It's not perfect everywhere.
"We still need to make it better, but it is starting to get better."