THREE in four GPs in Scotland say they have faced an increase in verbal abuse or aggression from their patients, leading to a huge increase in work-related stress, a new survey reveals.

The findings show the impact that Covid-19 infection control measures, such as reducing access to face-to-face consultations, have had on the GP-patient relationship.

The survey of almost 2,000 members of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) investigated how healthcare professionals’ experiences in the workplace had changed between the first and second year of the pandemic.

Overall, it found that the UK healthcare workforce is more stressed and anxious than at the height of the Covid-19 health emergency in 2020, with frontline GPs are struggling the most.

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Amongst Scottish GPs, 38% per cent said verbal abuse from patients towards them and their practice staff had “significantly increased”, with a further 39% saying it had “somewhat increased”.

Consequently, one in two GPs (51%) are considering taking early retirement or leaving their profession all together. The main reasons cited are increased workloads, mental health and wellbeing, and staff shortages.

One third of all health professionals reported their current level of health and wellbeing is worse in comparison to the first wave of Covid-19 in Spring 2020. Among GPs this was higher, with 43% reported a downturn in their health and wellbeing.

Of those GPs who had experienced verbal abuse or aggression in the workplace, 83% said they were feeling more stressed than they did in 2020 when the country first went into lockdown.

The survey also found that female GPs were more likely to face verbal abuse or aggression, with 81% of women doctors saying they had experienced an increase in this kind of patient behaviour compared with 72% of their male colleagues.

Chris Kenny, chief executive of MDDUS, said: “The pandemic has stretched our healthcare professionals to the limit. For those at the very frontline it is clear now that the levels of stress have reached an almost unsustainable point.

“GPs urgently need recognition, reassurance and realism to support them so they can reset their relationship with patients.

“These findings should be a wake-up call for policy makers up and down the UK. Their decision-making must factor in the clear connection between adequate funding and support for primary care services and health professionals, and patient safety.”

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The survey, conducted for MDDUS by the pollsters Survation, also found that health professionals remain highly concerned that neither government nor regulators have the right systems and rules in place to deal fairly with complaints made by patients about decisions or actions taken during the pandemic.

Across all health professionals, 65% do not think the government is prepared for the impact of complaints relating to healthcare delivered during the pandemic. Amongst GPs, that figure increases to 70%.

In 2021, healthcare regulators reassured their registrants they will take into account the unprecedented conditions created by Covid-19, and that is reflected in the survey results. Nonetheless, a significant 49% of all respondents said they remained concerned their regulator is not prepared. Amongst GPs the number was higher at 55%.

Dr John Holden, chief medical officer at MDDUS and a former GP, said: “The results of our survey are distressing. We know GPs work hard to ensure all patients receive care when they need it.

“Being a GP can be one of the best jobs in the world, but right now GPs need to feel valued, supported and empowered.

“In addition, regulators will need to redouble their efforts to communicate to all healthcare professionals that their systems have been revised to take into account the extraordinary conditions doctors and dentists have worked through since 2020.”