GPs have been excluded from new laws that aim to deter assaults on frontline workers, even though pharmacists, hospital doctors and lifeguards are all covered.

The NSW Government is raising the maximum punishment for assault on frontline workers to 14 years’ imprisonment, compared with previous laws that capped prison time at five years and were limited to police officers.  

But the NSW Sentencing Council, which advises the Attorney-General, declared it had “not received evidence that assaults against healthcare workers in other healthcare settings, such as GP clinics or community health clinics, are a particular problem”. 

This was despite anecdotes across the country of increased patient aggression, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and against GPs offering vaccination.