Abbey Road Surgery fully supports the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy. We are committed to providing a safe, respectful environment for our patients, visitors, and staff. We aim to treat all patients with courtesy and dignity at all times, and we ask that our team is treated in the same way in return.
We understand that visiting a GP surgery can be stressful, and that patients may at times feel frustrated or worried. However, abusive, threatening, intimidating or aggressive behaviour toward our staff is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated, whether made in person, over the telephone or in written communication.
As an employer, the practice has a legal duty of care for the health, safety, and wellbeing of its staff. This includes their mental health, which is equally as important as their physical health. The practice has a legal responsibility to provide a safe and secure working environment and will take all necessary steps to protect that right.
Your Rights and Ours
We recognise that as a patient you have rights. You are entitled to receive safe, effective, and respectful care. You are entitled to raise concerns and to use the NHS complaints process. These rights are protected and this practice upholds them fully.
However, under the NHS Constitution and the NHS Violence and Aggression policy, our staff have equal and corresponding rights. These include:
- The right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times
- The right to work in an environment free from violence, aggression, and intimidation
- The right to refuse service where behaviour poses a risk to their safety or wellbeing, in accordance with NHS England guidance
- The right to have incidents of threatening or abusive behaviour recorded, reported, and acted upon
GPs and their staff have the right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. Any behaviour, verbal or physical, which causes staff to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, or threatened is totally unacceptable.
What We Consider Unacceptable Behaviour
The practice considers the following to constitute unacceptable behaviour under this policy. This list is not exhaustive:
- Raising the voice, shouting, or yelling at staff
- Swearing, cursing, or use of offensive language
- Aggressive or threatening tone, even without explicit threats
- Demeaning or belittling comments intended to undermine staff
- Repeated rudeness that causes distress to staff
- Direct threats of harm to staff or others
- Making statements or threats intended to pressure or intimidate staff into a particular outcome
- Using complaints, online reviews, or media coverage as a means of intimidation toward staff
- Threatening letters, emails, or online messages
- Threatening telephone calls
- Actual or attempted physical assault, including hitting, pushing, or shoving
- Invading personal space in a threatening manner
- Offensive gestures or behaviours
- Inappropriate touching or sexual harassment
- Damage to or theft from practice property or equipment
- Drug dealing on practice premises
- Refusing to leave the premises when asked to do so by staff
- Blocking reception desks or access points
- Causing deliberate and prolonged disruption in the waiting or reception area
- Behaviour that causes staff to feel unsafe in carrying out their duties
- Malicious allegations relating to staff, patients, or visitors
- Racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory language or behaviour toward staff or other patients
- Harassment on grounds of protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010
- Repeated demands for services contrary to clinical or practice policy decisions
- Demanding to speak only to a specific team member when this is not possible
- Demanding a same-day appointment for a routine clinical need
- Persistently contacting the practice through inappropriate channels after being directed otherwise
- Contacting staff directly via personal social media or personal email instead of through practice channels
- Persistently refusing to accept a clinical decision and repeatedly demanding a different outcome
- Repeated derogatory comments about the practice or individuals, whether verbally, in writing, or on social media — this applies to both factual and false information, as the practice has a complaints process for legitimate dissatisfaction
- Attempting to alter, forge, or fraudulently obtain prescriptions or medical documents
- Attending the surgery under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances
- Entering clinical or staff-only areas without invitation
- Bringing individuals onto premises whose presence poses a risk to staff or other patients
The practice also reserves the right to refuse interactions with family members, carers, or representatives of patients who display the behaviour described above, even where those individuals are not themselves registered with the practice.
What Will Happen
Where unacceptable behaviour is identified, the practice may take one or more of the following actions depending on the nature and severity of the incident:
- A formal written warning will be issued and a record retained on the patient’s clinical record
- The patient may be removed from the practice patient list on the grounds of an irretrievable breakdown in the relationship between the patient and the practice, in accordance with the NHS (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations
- In cases of violence, assault, or serious threatening behaviour, the matter will be referred to the police without further warning
- Where the practice has needed to contact the police or has made a report to the police, removal from the practice list will take effect immediately
If you are removed from the practice list, NHS England will assist you in registering with another practice.
If You Are Unhappy With Our Care
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the care or service you have received, we encourage you to use our complaints procedure. Details are available at reception and on our Feedback and Complaints page. There is never any need for abusive or aggressive behaviour, our complaints process exists precisely so that concerns can be raised and addressed properly.