The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
Removing Patients from the List
The most common reason for removing patients from our list is that the patient has moved outside the practice boundary. Other justifiable reasons for removing patients include violence, theft or other unreasonable behaviour. These are very rare and exceptional circumstances and only ever used as a last resort. We will always try to work with our patients to resolve any problems and issue a warning if there is a possibility that they may be removed. We will always give a reason for removing a patient. We will never remove a patient from our list because of:
- Costly treatment.
- Making a complaint or raising a concern.
- Suffering from a particular clinical condition or disability.
- Their race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance.
