Doctors in GP surgeries have lifted the lid on the abuse they face - with some receiving hateful messages branding them Nazis for supporting the Covid vaccine rollout.
Staff at a practice in London have had to contact police after being sent abusive messages branding them "Nazi b*******", according to reports.
It comes as an alarming survey by the British Medical Association found that two thirds of GPs had seen colleagues face violence or abuse.
One surgery in the capital received a number of photocopied messages saying workers should be “put on trial for war crimes and held accountable”, The Independent reports.
It said: “This was photocopied numerous times, and put in envelopes, and individually addressed to each of our clinicians, and posted through the door after dark."
In other cases, GP practices have been sent bomb threats and hate mail that have left workers shaking in fear.
The shameful abuse comes amid reports of medics and staff being targeted after sending out vaccine reminders.
Dr Michelle Drage, chief executive of Londonwide Local Medical Committees, said: “London practice staff are receiving profanity-filled text messages in response to vaccination reminders, and those making calls are getting abuse and threatened with being reported to regulators, all just for doing as instructed by the NHS.
"Even those people who are merely hesitant about vaccinations have been known to become abusive after repeated contacts."
Some doctors told The Independent that they have had staff quit because of the abuse they face.
Earlier this month a survey by the BMA uncovered a rise in abuse faced by medics and medical staff.
It revealed:
- More than a third (37%) of all respondents had experienced verbal abuse first-hand in the most recent month – including 51% of GPs and 30% of hospital doctors;
- One in five GPs reported being threatened;
- Equally as worrying was that half of respondents (51%) had witnessed violence or abuse against other staff, which rose to 67% for doctors working in general practice;
- Hospital doctors were most likely to report abuse of nurses (87%) or other doctors (65%), while in general practice, 96% of those who had seen colleagues face abuse said this was directed at reception staff;
- Two-thirds of GPs (67%) said their experience of abuse, threatening behaviour or violence had got worse in the last year;
- The most common place for abuse experienced by GPs was in their consulting rooms (53%), while hospital doctors said it was on wards (49%);
- While respondents reported a number of factors they felt were behind the incidents, 64% (75% GP, 54% hospital) said the perpetrator was dissatisfied with the service or access.
Dr Richard Vautrey, BMA GP committee chair, said: “The last year-and-a-half has been an incredibly challenging time for both doctors and patients, and many doctors share the frustration of their patients around unfamiliar ways of working, or if waiting times are too long.
"However, abuse, violence and threats are absolutely unacceptable and should never be tolerated.
“GPs and their colleagues are doing their absolute best, day in, day out, to provide care to their local communities, and we know that the vast majority of our patients appreciate the hard work we are doing.
"However, these findings show an incredibly worrying trend, with GPS reporting rising levels of abuse against staff in general practice, who are already working under intense pressure."
