What should GP staff do when faced with complaints or threats and abuse?

Stock image. iStock.com/ Aja Koska

By Doctors.net.uk Editorial Team

As pressure on primary care providers has risen in recent years, so too have patient complaints, threats – and sometimes, even abuse. The Medical Defense Society takes you through what doctors need to know.

In recent years, the general practice workforce has been working incredibly hard under extreme pressure to deliver care, as safely and effectively as possible, to an ever-growing patient population. Despite these efforts, GP staff have faced a sharp rise in patient complaints and violent abuse, harming their emotional and physical wellbeing and leading to substantial legal and financial costs.