Third of family GPs attacked by patients

ALMOST one-in-three family doctors has been attacked or threatened by patients over the last 12 months, an Irish Medical Times (IMT) survey says.

The telephone survey of 121 GPs around the country found that 29.4% of family doctors had been attacked or intimidated.

While the IMT researchers said the survey showed GPs were becoming increasingly vulnerable to attack, a spokesperson for the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) said attacks on family doctors were a constant issue.