‘He launched out of his chair and took a swing’: Why GPs need greater protection from violent patients
The AMA (NSW) president’s story is one of several frightening incidents to emerge as the association continues to push for GPs to be covered by new frontline worker protections
Dr Michael Bonning dreads to think what would have happened if he had not been young and fit enough to escape an angry patient’s fist.
The AMA (NSW) president is speaking out about his frightening late-night encounter after a survey of 378 practices in the state found 88% had experienced verbal aggression from patients.
For 37% of those practices, the abuse was also physical.
Why the survey? It’s an attempt to enlighten blind policy-making. The AMA (NSW) wants state government to extend its new laws increasing jail time for patients threatening violence on frontline healthcare workers to include frontline GPs and their staff.
