A ‘serious incident’ took place at a GP practice in Bletchley this morning, during which staff and members of the public were attacked.
Four employees and four members of the public were assaulted at Parkside Medical Centre, near Milton Keynes, at around 9am today.
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The practice said three people were taken to A&E following the ‘serious incident’, while Thames Valley Police confirmed their injuries were not life-threatening.
The police force said a man had been arrested on suspicion of multiple assaults and remained in custody.
In a post on Facebook, the practice said: ‘We are deeply upset by this incident and wish everyone involved a speedy recovery.
‘The wellbeing of our patients and staff is paramount at this time and measures are currently being put in place to offer support to anyone affected by the event today.’
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Thames Valley Police told Nursing in Practice‘s sister publication Pulse: ‘At around 9am this morning, a number of people were assaulted at the Parkside Medical Practice.
‘Officers attended the scene and a man has been arrested on suspicion of multiple assaults, he remains in custody at this time. A number of people have been taken to hospital but none of their injuries appear to be life-threatening.’
The surgery was closed throughout the rest of the day. In the meantime, it advised patients to contact their local pharmacy or NHS 111 should they require assistance.
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Previously, Parkside Medical Centre emphasised its support for the NHS’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy, which was created between the NHS, police and Crown Prosecution Service as part of the Department of Health and Social Care’s violence reduction strategy. The partnership, launched in 2018, includes training for NHS staff on how to deal with violent situations.
Although exact details of this incident aren’t yet known, recent years have seen a range of aggressive episodes targeting GP practices, including a patient who shot a Watford GP with a crossbow, an east London stabbing leading to the hospitalisation of four people, and a patient being arrested following an alleged knife attack during a consultation in Stoke.
