Sydney stabbing raises GP safety fears

An attack in a Sydney general practice in which a doctor was allegedly stabbed last week has highlighted concerns about GP safety.
 
NSW Police confirmed that a patient was charged after emergency services responded to an incident at around 7pm at a Pitt Street clinic in Sydney’s CBD last Friday evening (26 September).
 
They said they found a GP aged 85 with a wound to the neck, who was treated by paramedics then taken to hospital in a stable condition.
 
According to a police statement released on Tuesday, a 57-year-old man was arrested at the scene then taken to Surry Hills Police Station, before going to hospital for assessment under police guard.
 
NSW Police confirmed they will allege in court that the man was undergoing treatment from the GP when he stabbed him.
 
RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman, who is a GP in Sydney, described the incident as a ‘wake-up call’.
 
‘Our heart goes out to this colleague of ours who has really suffered,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘It’s a really tragic incident.
 
‘Although as a doctor, we’re aware that we’re putting ourselves in a room with patients who are sometimes experiencing significant physical or mental illness and we’re at risk, we always like to believe that we’ve got the therapeutic relationship and the skills to protect ourselves.
 
‘This is really a wake-up call for myself, for my colleagues, everyone that we work with, that it’s not safe to be a doctor, it’s not safe to be a GP and we really need to be aware of that.’
 
Dr Hoffman also noted differences in preventive resources across healthcare settings when it came to staff safety.
 
‘In hospitals, and particularly in emergency departments, there are security and support systems and money being sent spent to ensure training and infrastructure is in place to support their nurses and their doctors,’ she said.
 
‘And we really don’t have the same in general practice – in general practice, we’re private businesses.
 
‘All of those costs are absorbed by the practice and we definitely don’t have the same infrastructure spending to maintain safety.
 
‘We know primary care is first-line medical care.
 
‘We are seeing patients at their best and on their worst days, and that is no less of a risk than in our emergency departments – and yet the funding is significantly lower.’
 
While noting that violent incidents of the sort seen last Friday are uncommon, she also draws attention to other forms of abuse experienced by GPs.
 
‘They are [rare], which doesn’t make this any less tragic,’ she said.
 
‘What we do know from general practice research is that incidents like bullying and racism are rife in general practice, and although physical violence is horrendous, emotional violence and racism is also prolific.
 
‘And we need to be bringing attention to minimising violence of all types across general practice.’
 
Dr Hoffman also acknowledges the emotional impact of the incident and urges GPs to look after their own wellbeing, and to consult their own GP if needed.
 
‘I’d just encourage all our GPs to take some time to spend with their loved ones,’ she said.
 
‘Have a think about policies and procedures ensuring their safety and make sure that they’re looking after their wellbeing, that they’re doing OK.’
 
The Sydney incident comes shortly after the publication of a UK study, which details ‘widespread’ abuse within general practices in 24 different countries.
 
It found rates of abuse and violence by patients and the public towards staff ranged from 13.8% to 90.3% over a year.
 
DRS4DRS is an independent program providing confidential support and resources to doctors and medical students across Australia.
 
Its website provides coordinated access to mental health and wellbeing resources. Confidential phone advice is available 24/7 for any doctor or medical student in Australia. See drs4drs.com.au.
 
Resources for managing patient aggression and violence are available on the RACGP website.
 
Log in below to join the conversation.
 

abuse GP safety violence in general practice