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Patient arrested after alleged knife attack on GP during consultation

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A patient who allegedly attacked a GP with a knife in a Stoke practice has been charged with attempt wounding with intent.

Robert Vaduva of Waterloo Road in Stoke-on-Trent, has been arrested for the attack on the victim. Pulse understand the victim was a GP, and the attack took place during a consultation.

Staffordshire police were called to Apsley House Surgery in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, on 18 January following the reported assault.

The weapon in question was described as a ‘knife blade’ or a ‘sharp pointed article’.

According to the police, a 58-year-old man was ‘injured and taken to hospital but has since been discharged’.

A spokesperson for Staffordshire police said they were unable to provide further information on the circumstances of the attack at this time.

The 24-year-old alledged attacker appeared at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme on Monday where he was ‘charged with possessing a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place and attempt wounding with intent’.

As of yesterday, Mr Vaduva was still remanded in custody, Staffordshire police said.

Under the law, attempted wounding with intent is a serious offence and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

This comes after a patient – who burst into a GP’s consultation room armed with a crossbow before firing a bolt into his stomach – was found guilty of attempted murder, earlier this month.

A spokesperson for Stoke-on-Trent CCG and the practice told Pulse: ‘We would like to reassure patients they continue to have access to the full range of primary care services from Apsley House Surgery, part of Cobridge Health Centre.

‘Police are being assisted with their investigation and staff are receiving support. We shall not be commenting further at this stage.’

Mr Vaduva will appear before Stoke-on-Trent crown court on 18 February.

Last week, an online survey of around 400 doctors conducted by Doctor.net.uk showed more than three-quarter of doctors reported to experiencing assault, threats or both while at work.

Pulse previously revealed two thirds of GPs had experienced abuse from patients, including verbal, written or physical.