One in 12 doctors (United Kingdom) was attacked in the past year
Patients are becoming more violent than their expectations on the increase in the NHS, doctors leaders said yesterday. A study published in the British Medical Association (BMA) showed that one in 12 doctors have been attacked in the past year and one in three had been sworn at or shouted. The violence ranged from being pushed to be attacked with a weapon. A 35 had suffered a minor injury and one of every 180 were seriously injured. Accident and emergency specialists, who see many patients who have consumed alcohol or drugs, were more at risk of being attacked, according to the survey.The postal questionnaire to 3,000 GPs and hospital doctors who responded 890th The BMA said that all employees should be taught how to disable potentially violent situations and how
aggressively to restrain patients. One GP described how in the midst of a consultation with a patient got up, locked the door and said he would kill the doctor. The panic button has not worked and receive phone leads and practice managers have been involved. Could not ask for help for 25 minutes.A doctor AE response of the survey wrote: If people are frustrated after a waiting time of a service or the service does not meet their expectations, it is only human nature to be angry. Add a few pints of intoxicating liquid, and what do you expect? James Johnson, chairman of the BMA, said the results were shocking. A significant number of respondents asked if verbal abuse counted. Of course it counts - when they ask, it shows how violence is acceptable to have. He added: We canunderstand all the patients are frustrated, but this is never an excuse for violent behavior - especially those trying to help.