Unrest continues to spread throughout London
London general practitioners (GPs) should take steps to protect their staff and premises from growing unrest, according to a statement from Londonwide Local Medical Committees, a professional advocate for GPs. Londonwide emphasized that practices have a duty of care to staff.
“Since July 2005 Londonwide LMCs has recommended all practices should have a business continuity plan in place,” it read. “Current problems in London may require these to be put to the test.”
Recommendations included:
- Protect colleagues and staff. “Discuss and record arrangements for access and exiting the premises, and have a clear means of communicating with colleagues and staff. Establish a named practice contact with a nominated mobile number and email address. Agree with staff and colleagues to share contact numbers, and have a simple codeword that identifies if they are in trouble, and report such cases to the police using 101, or 999 if in immediate danger.”
- Communicate with patients. Patients should be informed that there may disruptions or delays in service. Increases in telephone consultations may also be necessary.
- Secure prescription drugs. Prescription forms should also be kept out of sight.
- Notify the primary care trust cluster of any problems.
Londonwide requested GPs email examples of good practice to info@lmc.org.uk so it could pass them along to other practitioners.
Tuesday UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced Parliament would be recalled Thursday. All police leave and training exercises for London Metropolitan police have been cancelled in preparation for a massive deployment of some 16,000 officers by evening, reported Reuters.