Criminal acts of violence at UK GP surgeries almost double in five years

Doctors say violence now commonplace as surgeries struggle to cope with unmanageable levels of demand'

• GPs tell of appalling' abuse as violence at UK surgeries worsens

Criminal acts of violence at GP surgeries across the UK have almost doubled in five years, new figures reveal, as doctors' leaders warn of a perfect storm of soaring demand and staff shortages.

Police are now recording an average of three violent incidents at general practices every day. Staff are facing unprecedented assaults, abuse and aggression by patients, with surgeries struggling to cope with unmanageable levels of demand" after years of failure to recruit or retain sufficient numbers of family doctors.