GPs and practice staff have been ‘targeted with abuse and violence’ during racist riots across the UK in recent days, the RCGP said while urging vigilance.
In a statement published today, the college said it was ‘appalled’ at the ‘racist attacks’, and advised GP teams to ‘remain vigilant’ when travelling to and from work.
One ICB has encouraged GP practices in the Birmingham area to consider ‘closing early or cancelling appointments’ to ensure the safety of their staff today amid reports of predicted unrest.
Following this, an East Birmingham GP practice told patients that the practice was closed ‘due to potential unrest this afternoon’.
Following an attack in Southport last week, which resulted in the murder of three young girls, riots have broken out across the country with anti-immigration messaging.
The RCGP have heard reports of GPs and members of their team, ‘especially those from ethnic minorities’, being targeted with abuse during the riots.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard has also condemned the ‘violence, intimidation and thuggery’ of the riots, which she called a ‘flare-up of racism’.
Ms Pritchard urged managers to show in their actions that when they say the NHS has ‘zero tolerance of racism’, they ‘really mean it’.
She said the NHS staff and emergency services workers in Southport and across the country represent the ‘values that led to the creation of the NHS and have sustained it since’.
The NHS chief executive added: ‘There are other things that have sustained the NHS, too. One of them is stoicism, that great British trait of carrying on through adversity. Another, importantly, is migration – people coming from across the globe to become vital colleagues, with almost 200 nationalities represented in the NHS workforce today.’
Birmingham and Solihull ICB has contacted GP practices today to advise on safety measures, with senior leader Paul Sherriff saying he is ‘horrified and disappointed by the level of racism and violence’ seen across the country.
The chief officer for partnerships and integration told GP practices that ‘intelligence’ suggested that there could be ‘unrest in East Birmingham today’.
He continued: ‘We would encourage practices in this area to consider the decisions they might need to make to ensure staff and patients stay safe.
‘You should think about closing early or cancelling appointments if necessary, and invoke contingency arrangements with your local primary care network (PCN) partners’.
Mr Sherriff also urged any staff travelling through East Birmingham to ‘take alternative routes where possible’, to travel in with others rather than alone, and to hide or cover any uniforms or NHS lanyards.
Iridium Medical Practice, which covers a patch in East Birmingham, posted on Facebook earlier today: ‘Due to potential unrest this afternoon the practice is closed. Please remain indoors and do not come to the surgery. Please call NHS 111 if you need medical advice.’
RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne said: ‘We have been shocked and appalled by the civil unrest, criminality and racist attacks we have seen across the UK in recent days.
‘We’re particularly concerned to hear reports of GPs, members of their teams and other healthcare professionals, especially those from ethnic minorities, being targeted with abuse and violence. This is horrific and completely unacceptable.’
The RCGP confirmed that these reports have been shared with the college privately by GPs and it cannot share details.
Professor Hawthorne also said healthcare professionals should be able to do their job ‘without fear of being attacked’ and that both GP staff and patients ‘deserve to be able to travel to and from surgeries safely’.
She continued: ‘We advise GPs and their team members to remain vigilant, particularly when traveling to and from work.
‘Where possible and appropriate, travel in groups, avoid known areas of unrest, and keep your mobile phones charged and accessible. We urge all healthcare professionals to report any incidents of abuse or violence to the appropriate authorities immediately.’
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