At Ivel Medical Centre, everyone has the right to receive or provide healthcare in a safe, respectful and welcoming environment.
We understand that illness, worry and difficult circumstances can be stressful. However, abusive, threatening, discriminatory or violent behaviour towards our staff, patients or visitors is not acceptable.
Respect works both ways
Our team will treat you with dignity and respect. We ask that you do the same.
Treating each other with respect
We ask everyone using our services to:
- Treat staff, patients and visitors with courtesy and respect
- Communicate without abusive, threatening or discriminatory language
- Respect the privacy and personal boundaries of our staff and other patients
- Follow reasonable instructions intended to keep patients and staff safe
- Use our complaints and feedback process if you are unhappy with the care or service you have received
We recognise that a person’s health, communication needs or individual circumstances may affect their behaviour. Any incident will be considered fairly and in context.
Behaviour we will not accept
Examples of unacceptable behaviour include:
- Verbal abuse, shouting, swearing at or insulting others
- Threatening or intimidating behaviour
- Physical violence or attempted violence
- Harassment, bullying or discrimination
- Sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour
- Deliberate damage to practice property
- Behaviour that causes staff, patients or visitors to feel unsafe
- Repeated unreasonable or aggressive demands
- Inappropriate use of staff members’ personal contact details or social media
- Malicious or threatening communications
What may happen?
Our response will depend on the nature and seriousness of the incident.
Where appropriate, we may:
- Ask the person to stop the behaviour
- Record the incident in the patient’s medical record
- Issue a verbal or written warning
- Place reasonable communication or behavioural arrangements in place
- Ask a person to leave the premises
- Report serious incidents to the appropriate authorities
- Consider removal from the practice list in accordance with NHS regulations and practice policy
Violence, threats of violence or behaviour presenting an immediate risk to others may result in immediate action without a prior warning.
Removal from the practice list
Removal from the practice list is a serious step and will be considered in accordance with NHS regulations and the individual circumstances of the case.
Where appropriate, a patient will normally be informed about the behaviour of concern and given an opportunity to change their behaviour before removal is considered.
In cases involving violence, threats or circumstances where the safety of patients or staff is at immediate risk, different arrangements may apply.
That gives the practice room to deal with cases appropriately rather than promising an exact three-strike process.
If you are unhappy with our service
Being unhappy with the practice, making a complaint or raising concerns will not in itself be treated as unacceptable behaviour.
We welcome concerns raised appropriately and respectfully.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of your care or our service, please see our Feedback & Complaints page for information about how to raise your concerns.
Our commitment to you
Our staff will treat patients with dignity, courtesy and professionalism, and we ask for the same in return.
By treating one another respectfully, we can maintain a safe environment in which our team can focus on providing the best possible care to our patients.