Zero tolerance policy

The practice is committed to providing a safe working environment by minimising the risk of violent and aggressive behaviour at work.

The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff is treated in an abusive or violent way. All our staff have a right to care for others and provide services without fear of being attacked or abused.

All our staff aim to be polite, respectful, helpful and considerate of all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. If individual requests cannot be met, an explanation will be provided where possible.

We expect those attending the clinic and or on the phone to the clinic to act in a reasonable manner and take note of the types of behaviour that we would not tolerate and find unacceptable:

• Verbal abuse such as using bad language or swearing at staff and bad gestures
• Any physical violence such as pushing or shoving
• Violating a staff member’s or clinician’s personal space
• Racial abuse and sexual comments or harassment
• Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff
• Causing property damage or stealing from the practice or anyone in the practice

Any person found to be acting in a violent or abusive manner or engaging in the above types of behaviours will be asked to leave the premises and in extreme cases, the Police may be contacted.

The Practice reserves the right to consider removal of the patient or patients in the same household from the practice list with immediate effect. A good patient-practice relationship is based on mutual trust and respect and allows for good patient care. Where this has been irretrievably broken due to unacceptable behaviour, it is in the patient’s interest just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice.