A small proportion of the people we invite for screening have specific specialist needs.
Among them is a group of people who fall under the national ‘Violent Patients Scheme’.
This scheme is in place at a small number of dedicated GP practices across the country. People are considered on a case by case basis for inclusion in the scheme if they have been violent within a GP practice.
These practices have appropriate training and support mechanisms to deal with patients who have a history of violence within an NHS setting. These people are eligible for the same services as other patients and should be invited for screening when appropriate.
However, it can be a challenge for local screening providers to find out who is part of the scheme.
People within the Violent Patients Scheme are selected for screening in the same way as all other patients. However, they may not be flagged up to local providers, which means it might not be possible to put suitable safety precautions in place at appointments.
We advise local screening providers to:
- work with commissioners to identify GP practices that provide this service
- talk to information governance, risk management and safeguarding teams about local policies for this group of patients and the potential impact on the screening service
Local providers may also want to develop a process for identifying patients on the scheme in agreement with information governance, safeguarding and commissioner colleagues.
If you have questions about the Violent Patients Scheme, please contact the screening helpdesk.
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