RCGP Safeguarding toolkit

Safeguarding is part of the holistic care given to patients in general practice and it can be very rewarding to be involved in preventing and stopping abuse happening. However, there is no doubt that being involved in safeguarding can be professionally and personally challenging. Safeguarding requires us as professionals to ‘think the unthinkable’ which can make us feel very uncomfortable, especially as GPs, when trust, empathy and compassion are key to our therapeutic relationships with patients. Being involved in safeguarding cases or hearing personal experiences of abuse from patients can be very upsetting. There is also emotional complexity involved as in general practice we provide care for both victims and perpetrators of abuse. This complexity can be magnified by the contextual experiences of perpetrators of abuse who have their own experiences of being a victim of abuse. A key element of a GP’s role has always been to be an advocate for patients. This role can be conflicted when a patient is causing harm to others and this can be challenging to deal with.

In addition, for any healthcare professional who is a victim or survivor of abuse themselves, professionally having to deal with concerns about abuse to children or adults can be very difficult and can trigger unwanted memories and emotions.

Talking to colleagues can be very helpful – whether this is to simply debrief after a difficult consultation or experience, or to seek advice and guidance. Support, advice and guidance can also be sought from the practice safeguarding lead and/or local safeguarding professionals such as named GPs/nurses, Designated Health Professionals or safeguarding leads within health boards.

The most important thing to remember is that no practitioner has to deal with difficult safeguarding issues alone – there is always help available.

There are lots of resources available for your own wellbeing. The links below are for national organisations, you may also have sources of local support such as through your practice/organisation, your GP, local agencies who support victims and survivors of abuse or via your LMC (Local Medical Committees).

• GMC. Wellbeing resources for doctors. 2022.
• BMA. Your wellbeing. 2024.
• NHS. Practitioner Health. 2024. Practitioner Health is a free, confidential NHS primary care mental health and addiction service with expertise in treating health and care professionals.
• NAPAC. Supporting Recovery From Childhood Abuse. 2023. The National Association of People Abused in Childhood: supports adult survivors of any form of child abuse.
• The Survivors Trust. Homepage of The Survivors Trust. Supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence.
• Refuge. Homepage of National Domestic Abuse Helpline. Supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse.