Violent incidents at GP surgeries have doubled in less than five years, according to figures from police forces across the UK.
An investigation by the British Medical Journal found the number of assaults at surgeries and health centres resulting in injury had almost doubled too.
Police forces recorded 1,068 violent incidents between 2021 and 2022, up from 586 between 2017 and 2018.
The chairman of the Royal College of GPs called the findings “unacceptable”.
Professor Martin Marshall told the BBC: “The findings from this investigation need to be taken seriously.
“It’s entirely unacceptable for anyone working in general practice to be at the receiving end of abuse of any kind when they are just doing their best to deliver vital care and services to patients, but the increase in reports of physical violence is particularly distressing.”
Added frustration
Prof Marshall said the abuse would have “a significant impact on the mental health, wellbeing and morale of individual doctors and practice staff”.
There are concerns that more GPs may leave the profession due to harassment and threats of violence faced at work.
The pandemic has been cited as a cause for the increase in violence, as services came under more pressure.
Some patients also believed services had closed altogether, leading to added frustration.
The BMJ was able to obtain complete and comparable data from 32 police forces across the UK.
