Unacceptable Behaviour Policy – Thornfield Medical Group
Thornfield Medical Group operates an unacceptable behaviour policy to all and will not tolerate any abuse towards its staff, doctors or other patients. This could be physical, verbal, or online abuse. GPs and staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked, abused, or treated badly in any way.
To successfully provide our services a mutual respect between staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. We would respect-fully remind patients, relatives, carers or advocates that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.
Aggressive behaviour, be it physical, verbal or online, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.
For the practice to maintain good relations with our patients we would like to ask all our patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour we see that would be found unacceptable:
- Verbal abuse including using bad language, texting, swearing, or shouting at practice staff.
- Any physical violence, threats, threatening behaviour or intimidation towards any member of our team or other patients.
Derogatory remarks regarding protected characteristics (e.g., racist, sexist or homophobic behaviour)
- Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible, and explanations given when they cannot be met.
- Being perceived to bully a staff member to obtain something.
- Causing damage/stealing from the practice’s premises, staff, or patients.
- Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently.
- Making inflammatory statements e.g. “You are incompetent and should be sacked”
- Derogatory, abusive, or insulting comments made about staff online or in the media
- Harassing, abusing, or threatening staff on their personal social networks
- Malicious allegations relating to members of staff, other patients, or visitors
- Offensive sexual gestures or behaviours
- Drinking alcohol or taking drugs on practice premises
- Drug dealing on practice premises
- Abuse of practice processes/policy
If patients breach the above, then they may be asked immediately or within 8 days to register with a new GP surgery.