The NHS operate a zero-tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it. This includes negative comments on social media websites.

Following activity on social media where patients of The Oaks Medical Centre have posted derogatory comments about the practice and some of our staff; we now have a social media Zero Tolerance Policy in place. If any such posts are brought to our attention, they are viewed as a breakdown in the doctor-patient professional relationship and will result in the individual being removed from our list if the appropriate channels to complain have not been followed at first. This is to ensure that the appropriate channels are followed and we can action the complaints accordingly.

We would ask that rather than posting derogatory or upsetting comments about the practice or any of our staff on social media, please speak to us at the surgery or via telephone about this or put your comments to us in writing giving us the opportunity to respond you may also email directly to theoaks.medical@nhs.net or via our website – theoaksmedical.co.uk.

Posting derogatory or offensive comments online causes unjustified distress to our practice members and staff. They also cause other patients to delay or deter them from presenting to the surgery to receive medical treatment.

Please consider the impact of your online activity before you post a comment.