Family doctors forced to install panic buttons for protection from patients

Aggression is a fact of life in hospital emergency departments but even family GPs are installing duress alarms to protect staff from agitated patients.

According to a Royal Australian College of General Practitioners report last year, four out of five GPs have seen or experienced violence in their workplace.

While most incidents involve verbal or written aggression, there have also been reports of physical violence, destruction of property, sexual harassment and stalking.

Some patients become angry if they are denied a doctor’s sick note or antibiotics for a sore throat.

Mt Lawley doctor Simon Torvaldsen, the Australian Medical Association’s general practice spokesman, said although aggression and violence was rare in surgeries, the widespread use of meth was increasing the risk level.

His own practice had duress alarms in every room to attract the front desk or if necessary police if a patient was unruly.

Common reasons for people becoming agitated were waiting too long to get in to see the doctor or not being given what they wanted such as a prescription for drugs.

Dr Torvaldsen said he once had an angry patient who warned he would return to the surgery with a gun. While the man did not seem genuine, inquiries had to be made to ensure he did not pose a threat.

Often reception staff faced the brunt of aggression and people calmed down when they saw the doctor.

“Doctors are used to dealing with people in stressful situations and sometimes you just need to talk them down,” he said.

“But you can’t take any risks and you couldn’t live with yourself if you didn’t take the necessary precautions to protect your staff,” he said.

Dr Richard Choong, who chairs the board of the WA Primary Health Alliance, said violence was rare in general practice but most surgeries had duress alarms.

“It’s really uncommon to have high levels of aggression but it’s common to have patients who are angry, frustrated and frightened, often because they’re unwell and overwhelmed,” Dr Choong said.

“If you deny them what they believe is appropriate such as a certificate or medications they can become angry but it’s generally low-level stuff.

“But in the back of our minds is always the potential for the next level of aggression.”