Politicians finally recognise GPs and their staff as ‘frontline health workers’
Amendments have been made to legislation designed to protect health staff from abuse.
GPs and other private specialists in NSW have been recognised as frontline health workers in state legislation designed to protect them from aggressive and violent patients.
During the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, government ministers across Australia publicly railed against the abuse faced by health staff.
But while legislation in NSW was introduced back in 2022 to toughen the criminal penalties, the original definition of ‘frontline health worker’ covered only hospital and emergency staff, failing to include doctors and staff working in private practice.
Following a long campaign by AMA NSW, this week the Parliament of NSW finally extended its legislation to include all health workers.
