Zero Tolerance Policy

The Practice operates a 'Zero-Tolerance' policy towards inappropriate behaviour or language.

We would hope that this would be an uncommon event and where things had gone wrong we could address any areas of disagreement, before removal became necessary.

However if doctors, their colleagues, their staff and other patients feel threatened or have actually been subject to violence or racist or otherwise discriminatory behaviour or abuse of any sort we will have no alternative but to ask for removal of perpetrators of such actions from our practice list.

We would also seek removal from the practice list of anyone who has been dishonest or deceitful in their dealings with the practice or if we feel that relationships have broken down with a significant number of staff so that continuing to provide care would become impractical

Removal of a patient or family from the doctors list, would be carried out under the guidelines issued by the General Medical Council and Royal College of General Practitioners and under most circumstances a full explanation would be provided.

1. Purpose

At Seaton Park Medical Group, we are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all patients, staff, and visitors. This policy outlines the standards of behaviour expected from patients and the consequences of unacceptable conduct.

As well as the practice having a duty of care for the health, safety and wellbeing of its staff. The practice also has a legal responsibility to provide a safe and secure working environment for staff. Staff mental health is as important as their physical health and staff should not be left upset and distressed following an interaction with a patient.

All patients and staff are expected to behave in an acceptable, respectful manner.

The practice follows the NHS guidance concerning Zero Tolerance.

2. Our Commitment

We aim to deliver high-quality healthcare in a professional and respectful setting. In return, we expect patients to treat our staff, clinicians, and other patients with the same level of respect and courtesy.

3. Expected Behaviour

We expect patients to:

Communicate respectfully with staff, other patients, and visitors.
Follow instructions given by clinical and administrative staff.
Arrive on time for appointments or give adequate notice of cancellations.
Respect the privacy and confidentiality of others.
Understand that abusive or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.

4. Unacceptable Behaviour

The following behaviours are considered unacceptable and will not be tolerated:

Verbal abuse including shouting, swearing, insults, or offensive language.
Physical aggression, threats, or intimidation toward staff or others.
Harassment, including discriminatory remarks related to race, gender, sexuality, religion, disability, or any other characteristic.
Vandalism or damage to property.
Refusal to follow safety, infection control, or appointment procedures.

Unnecessarily persistent or unrealistic service demands that cause disruption. Examples of this include, but are not limited to:

Demanding to only speak to a specific team member
Refusing appointments with an appropriate clinician for the presenting care need i.e. insisting on a GP appointment when seeing a pharmacist or nurse prescriber is most appropriate or refusing to see an available GP for your presenting care need when your preferred GP is unavailable.
Refusing to access the service in the appropriate manner i.e. sending emails/texts instead of using the NHS Digital approved digital consultation service
Demanding a same day appointment for a routine clinical need – this deprives access to urgent care services for those who genuinely need it

5. Consequences of Unacceptable Behaviour

If a patient displays unacceptable behaviour, the following actions may be taken depending on the severity and nature of the incident:

Verbal Warning (Zero Tolerance): The patient will be advised that their behaviour is inappropriate and reminded of expected standards.
Written Warning (Yellow Card): For repeated or more serious incidents, a formal letter will be issued outlining the concerns and potential consequences of further issues.
Removal from the Practice List (Red Card): In cases of severe or repeated misconduct, the practice may exercise the right to remove the patient from the practice list. The patient will be informed in writing and assisted in registering with another GP.
Immediate Action: In extreme cases, such as physical violence or serious threats, the practice will:

Call emergency services or law enforcement as required.
Remove the patient from the premises.
mmediately remove the patient from the practice list.

6. Supporting Our Staff

All staff have the right to work without fear of abuse or violence. We are committed to supporting them and will not tolerate any form of mistreatment.

If you are seriously unhappy with the quality of service, you have the right to register with another practice without notifying us. Similarly, on the very rare occasions when a patient breaches this policy, we have the right to remove the patient from our Practice list following NHSE guidelines.

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