Zero Tolerance

The NHS operates a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse. We strongly believe that NHS staff should not be feel threatened or have to suffer verbal or physical abuse whilst doing their job.

We will be helpful and polite to all our patients regardless of age, ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. We expect the same courtesy from our patients. Discriminatory, unsocial, violent threatening, or abusive behaviour towards staff, other patients or our premises will not be tolerated.  

The Practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse, which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation, we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it. Depending on the circumstances, the Practice may also involve the police. 

All telephone calls are recorded for training and monitoring purposes. In instances where patients are being rude and verbally abusive, telephone recordings will be listened to and if appropriate, action will be taken to remove patients from the Practice list.