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Three-quarters of doctors have been assaulted or threatened at work

More than three-quarters of doctors say they have been assaulted or threatened by a patient or their relative while practising.

In a survey of around 400 doctors conducted by Doctors.net.uk, 78% said they had experienced assault, threats, or both.

A total of 34% (134 doctors) reported experiencing assault, while 59% (233) said they had been threatened, the poll found.

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

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In a statement, Doctors.net.uk said: ‘Unfortunately, it seems that the scale and occurrence of threats, violence and assaults have become a stark reality to UK doctors.’

It continued: ‘Safety fears, limited training for staff and a tendency for concerns raised by doctors to not be escalated to a higher authority are all familiar anecdotes from doctors who have been verbally abused or assaulted by patients or their relatives while at work.

‘Doctors should not be made to feel vulnerable, intimidated or in danger at work or while consulting with patients.’

This comes after a patient – who burst into a GP’s consultation room and shot him with a crossbow – was found guilty of attempted murder.