Surgeon’s alarm over patient aggression: ‘They threaten to go to the media if they don’t get what they want’
Frontline staff bear the brunt of the fallout from negative media, says Dr Fred Betros.
The story has been updated with a response from Western Sydney Local Health District
Patients frustrated with ED delays are launching threats at doctors, pushing an overwhelmed health system closer to breaking point, a senior surgeon warns.
Media reporting is creating an increasingly hostile environment for doctors and nurses, says Dr Fred Betros, AMA NSW vice-president and a general surgeon at Blacktown Hospital in Sydney.
“In some cases, there have been degrees of intimidation and verbal threats,” Dr Betros said.
