Mid Ulster Health Care

Cookstown & Dungannon

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

(April  2019)

Revised September 2026

Mid Ulster Health Care operates a Zero Tolerance Policy, whereby aggressive or violent behaviour towards GPs & Practice Staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Mid Ulster Health Care fully supports the Zero Tolerance stance adopted by the NHS.

Our Practice Staff aim to be polite, helpful and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances.  We would respectfully remind patients that very often our Practice Staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.  Practice Staff understand that ill patients’ do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.

The Practice acknowledges that there may be instances where aggression forms part of a patient’s illness.  In these circumstances, the issue will be discussed with the GP Partners and the patient/carer concerned.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice List and, in extreme cases, the PSNI being contacted.

In order for the Practice to maintain good relations with our patients’ the Practice would like to ask all patients’ to read and to take note of the occasional types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable. This list is not exhaustive:

• Using bad language or swearing at GPs or Practice Staff.
• Any physical violence/threatening behaviour (with or without a weapon) towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients.
• Verbal abuse towards GPs or Practice Staff in any form including unreasonable and/or offensive remarks or behaviour/rude gestures/innuendoes.
• Sexual and Racial harassment/abuse or Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated by the Practice.
• Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to Practice Staff will not be accepted.  Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot.
• Causing damage to or stealing from the Practice premises, GPs, Practice Staff or patients.
• Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently.

We ask you to treat our GPs and Practice Staff courteously at all times please.