Zero tolerance statement

We are very aware that navigating current primary care services can be stressful and at times, frustrating for you as patients, carers and relatives.

Delays in trying to obtain appointments, long phone waits, delays in clinic times can add to frustration and concerns.

To successfully provide our services a mutual respect between staff and patients has to be in place. GPs and staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked, abused or treated badly in any way. All of our staff aim to be polite, helpful and sensitive to all patients. We would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.

Brownlow Health operates a zero tolerance policy to any abuse or bad behaviour towards its staff, doctors or other patients; this could be physical, verbal or online abuse.

Aggressive behaviour, be it physical, verbal or online, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the practice list and in extreme cases the police being contacted.

In order for the practice to maintain good relations with our patients we would like to ask all our patients to be aware of the types of behaviour we occasionally see that are unacceptable:

• Using bad language, shouting or raising of voices at practice staff
• Any physical violence towards any member of our team or other patients
• Verbal abuse towards staff or patients in any form including shouting
• Racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic or other intolerant language, discrimination or sexual harassment will never be tolerated
• Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot be met
• Being perceived to bully or manipulate a staff member to obtain something
• Causing damage to the premises, stealing from practice premises, staff or patients
• Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently