ORIGIN BLOODS – ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

At Origin Bloods, we are committed to protecting the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of our staff, clinicians, and patients at all times.

This Zero Tolerance Policy is intended to protect all members of our team from unacceptable, abusive, aggressive, or threatening behaviour.

Our staff and clinicians strive to be polite, professional, and sensitive to the individual needs and circumstances of patients. We recognise that patients may at times feel distressed, anxious, or unwell, and this will be taken into consideration when addressing misunderstandings or concerns.

However, violence, abuse, or aggression in any form will not be tolerated, regardless of the circumstances.

Unacceptable Behaviour

Violent or aggressive behaviour includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal abuse, insults, shouting, swearing, or intimidation
• Bullying, harassment, or threatening language
• Threats of harm to individuals, property, or family members
• Any form of physical violence
• Racial abuse, discrimination, or sexual harassment
• Persistent or unreasonable demands that cause distress or pressure to staff
• Damage to property or theft
• Fraudulent attempts to obtain medical services, test results, or clinical documentation

Such behaviour may occur via telephone, video consultation, email, written correspondence, social media, or any other form of communication, and is treated equally seriously in all formats.

Action Taken

Any incident of unacceptable behaviour may result in:

• Immediate termination of the consultation or communication
• Suspension or termination of the patient–service relationship
• Refusal to provide further services
• Reporting to relevant authorities where appropriate
  
  

Serious incidents may result in immediate discharge from the service, particularly where there is a risk to staff safety or where illegal activity is involved.

Incidents will be recorded in the patient’s clinical record where appropriate, and safeguards may be implemented to protect staff, including restricting future contact methods or requiring communications to be handled by senior staff only.

Exceptional Circumstances

Origin Bloods acknowledges that, in some cases, aggressive or inappropriate behaviour may be influenced by a patient’s medical condition or personal circumstances.

Where clinically appropriate, this will be considered sensitively and addressed as part of care planning.

Removal from the service is a last resort and will only be considered where the therapeutic relationship has irretrievably broken down, or where safety is at risk.

Where possible, patients will be informed in writing and advised to seek alternative care.

Immediate termination may occur without notice in cases involving serious threats, violence, or criminal behaviour.

Staff Safety and Responsibilities

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Origin Bloods has a legal duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its employees and clinicians.

The Clinic Manager is responsible for:

• Implementation and review of this policy
• Ensuring appropriate staff training
• Supporting staff affected by incidents
  
  

Staff members have a duty to:

• Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others
• Report any incidents of abuse, aggression, or violence promptly
• Provide accurate details of incidents to support investigation and prevention

Preventative Measures

Origin Bloods will take reasonable steps to minimise risks, including:

• Risk assessment of roles and working practices
• Review of communication systems and lone-working risks
• Training in conflict management and de-escalation
• Access to appropriate support following incidents
• Recording incidents and implementing learning to prevent recurrence