An important message from Chillington Patient Participation Group

The Coronavirus pandemic has put medical centres, dispensaries and pharmacies under great pressure and led to staff shortages and difficulty in obtaining medicines and essential supplies. Doctors, nurses and other staff have been working tirelessly throughout, giving up weekends and bank holidays to ensure their patients get the best treatment they can offer.

While the majority appreciate and are grateful for these efforts, unfortunately a minority have resorted to abusive and threatening behaviour towards health centre personnel. This has led to staff being frightened and demoralised, eventually reaching the point where some are leaving the profession altogether, putting even more pressure on the staff that remain.

NHS personnel who put their own health at risk to help their patients should get the respect they deserve. There are no circumstances under which they should have to tolerate threats and abuse. Let us do what we can to help that happen.