At Ivel Medical Centre, we are committed to providing high-quality healthcare in a safe, respectful, and supportive environment. To ensure the well-being of both our patients and staff, we have a Zero Tolerance Policy for any form of abuse, violence, or unacceptable behaviour.
Our Commitment
Our team is dedicated to treating all patients with care, dignity, and respect. In return, we expect the same courtesy from our patients. We recognise that being unwell can be stressful, and we strive to accommodate individual needs. However, any behaviour that causes distress, fear, or harm to our staff or other patients will not be tolerated.
Unacceptable Behaviour
The following behaviours are considered unacceptable and may result in action being taken, including removal from the practice list:
- Verbal abuse, including swearing, shouting, or using offensive language towards staff or other patients.
- Physical violence or threats of violence, including pushing, shoving, or any form of assault.
- Aggressive or intimidating behaviour, including forceful demands, raised voices, or refusing to listen to staff.
- Racial, sexual, or other discriminatory abuse or harassment towards staff or other patients.
- Damage to property, theft, or any criminal activity on practice premises.
- Obtaining prescriptions or medical services fraudulently or attempting to alter prescriptions.
- Being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while attending the practice.
- Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause undue stress to staff, such as insisting on seeing a specific GP when an appropriate clinician is available.
- Misuse of communication channels, including contacting staff via personal email or social media.
- Defamation or derogatory comments about the practice or staff on social media or other public platforms.
Consequences of Unacceptable Behaviour
If a patient exhibits unacceptable behaviour:
- First and Final Warning – In cases where the behaviour is not severe enough to warrant immediate removal, a written warning will be issued. Patients will be asked to reflect on their behaviour and given the opportunity to amend their approach.
- Immediate Removal – Patients who display violent or threatening behaviour, require police involvement, or pose a risk to staff or other patients will be immediately removed from the practice list.
- Reporting to Authorities – Any threats, violence, or criminal behaviour will be reported to the police.
- Household Removal – In rare cases, if the behaviour of one individual makes it unsafe for our staff to continue providing care to their household members, the entire household may be removed from our practice list.
Alternative Care Arrangements
In cases where a patient is removed from our practice list, they will be given a 7-day or 30-day period (depending on the severity of the situation) to find a new GP. For cases involving violence, patients will be referred to the Special Allocation Scheme, which provides care in a secure setting.
Our Expectations
We kindly ask all patients to:
- Treat our staff and other patients with respect and courtesy.
- Follow our practice procedures for booking appointments and seeking care.
- Use appropriate communication channels for feedback and complaints.
If you are dissatisfied with our service, we encourage you to use our complaints procedure rather than engaging in aggressive or inappropriate behaviour.
We thank all our patients for helping us maintain a safe, professional, and respectful healthcare environment.