Violence Report 2006 final.pdf - BMA

Health Policy & Economic Research Unit
The government has called for training of NHS staff to deal with violence from patients, however the
majority of doctors (64%) had not received any such training. This does vary somewhat according to
type of doctor, with more than half of GPs (53%) reporting receiving some form of training on how to
deal with violence from patients, compared with less than a quarter (23%) of hospital doctors.
Figure 4 shows that more than half of respondents (57%) were very or fairly worried about potential
violence from patients, whilst a quarter (25%) were not worried at all. Doctors working in general
practice were more likely to be worried about patient violence (67%), compared with doctors working
in hospitals (49%). Two in five respondents (41%) had taken precautions against potential violence.
Again, this was more likely to be the case among GPs (62%), compared with hospital doctors (25%).
Panic alarms/buttons were the most widely adopted precaution, but others included room layout,
chaperoning and CCTV.
Less than 10% of doctors reported having access to a secure facility in which to treat violent patients.
Hospital doctors (11%) were more likely to have access to such a facility, compared with GPs (4%).
The vast majority of doctors (90%) agreed that there should be a register of violent patients set up in
each Health Board area.
Figure 4 Concern about potential violence from patients by type of doctor (%)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
GP Hospital Total respondents
Very worried A little worried Moderately worried Not at all worried
Violence in the workplace – The experience of doctors in Northern Ireland 13