GO AD-FREE. Get 2 Months Digital Subscription for ONLY £1! Use code 2FOR1
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
GO AD-FREE. Get 2 Months Digital Subscription for ONLY £1! Use code 2FOR1
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
A GP Surgery has revealed staff are facing "daily abuse" from patients.
Headcorn Surgery said the abuse ranges from unreasonable demands to threats of violence, in a post on it's Facebook page.
The shocking post, from the Grigg Lane practice was published today.
Headed as "a polite notice to our patients", it reads: "All of the staff at Headcorn Surgery empathise and understand how frustrating it can be accessing clinical services within the NHS.
"We are all patients within the NHS to and are facing the same challenges due to the unprecedented increase in demand on NHS services.
"Our staff members are facing daily abuse from our patients; this can range from unreasonable demands, general rudeness, shouting and swearing to personal attacks and threats of violence.
"These sorts of things are not becoming a daily occurrence they are in fact happening multiple times each day to various members of staff.
"We understand that anxieties around health and wellbeing can lead to heightened emotions; patients are understandably and reasonably worried about their own health or that of a loved one, in these instances we of course understand that patients may get frustrated or upset.
"There is no excuse, however, for abusing any member of our team, no circumstance in which our staff should face shouting, swearing or feeling threatened within their place of work.
"Our staff work very hard, often in very difficult circumstances to maintain the smooth running of our services. Despite what some patients may think, all of our staff care deeply about providing each and every patient they come into contact with a high level of care and a positive outcome to whatever their query may be.
"Please don’t forget that the receptionist you are speaking to on the telephone, nurse you are seeing in clinic or GP with whom you are being treated by is a fellow human being.
"They are all dealing with the same challenges within their personal lives that all of our patients are facing.
"They are working hard and doing their best to provide all 8500 patients at Headcorn Surgery a safe, effective and caring service.
"Please treat our staff with the dignity and respect they deserve."
