GP practice staff ‘fearful of walking to work’ following death and rape threats 

Staff at a GP practice which received anonymous death and rape threats are ‘fearful of walking to and from work’, according to the practice manager.

The unnamed practice in Tameside, Greater Manchester, was bombarded last month by emails which included threats to rape and behead staff, the practice manager told the Manchester Evening News. 

The newspaper said the practice received eight emails between 1 and 8 September in both Arabic and English which included messages asking, ‘Are you ready to be raped on your way home from work?’ and ‘We will cover your heads with the hijab when we cut them off’. 

The manager told the newspaper the emails staff have been left ‘fearful walking to [and] from work’. 

Greater Manchester Police opened an investigation but said they were unable to trace the sender and have now closed the case, claiming ‘no legitimate threats were made’.

A police spokesperson told Pulse: ‘Officers investigated reports of malicious communications made against staff at a GP practice in Tameside. 

‘An investigation took place and no legitimate threats were made. With no further lines of enquiry and the offender unidentified, the crime will be closed. 

‘The surgery has been updated and advised to report any further suspicious activity.’ 

NHS Greater Manchester ICB told Pulse: ‘NHS Greater Manchester has a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and abuse of any kind towards our staff, patients or communities. Everyone has the right to feel safe and respected when working in, or accessing, NHS services. 

‘While we cannot comment on any specific incidents, we want to be clear that discrimination, violence or harassment has no place in our NHS.  

‘We will always work with our partners to ensure that those affected are supported and that appropriate action is taken.’ 

Pulse has reported extensively on incidents of GP abuse and vandalism of GP practices.  

This month, a man was jailed after bombarding a GP practice with calls threatening to cause enough damage to close the building ‘for weeks’.  

And in July, a man who attacked two GP registrars with a baseball bat in a ‘violent attack’ was given an 18-month community order. 

Previously, the medical defence organisation MDDUS found over 80% of GPs experienced verbal abuse from patients in 2024, while a quarter were subjected to physical violence.  

Last year, delegates at the UK LMC conference voted through a motion calling for ‘more severe sanctions’ for perpetrators of threatening and violent behaviour towards practice staff. 

And a recent academic review of studies found violence and abuse towards GP staff is ‘widespread’ globally.