Homes too dangerous to visit

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:31:35 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]There has been more than one occasion when the lady of the house opened to door to see me with a chaperon and looked rather disappointed![/quote]

Hahaha - only you, Martin, could take this reaction as a hidden compliment!

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 29 May 2013 10:45:27 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]In reality it would be wise to always take a nurse with you when doing house calls.[/quote] I always do, if for no other reason than for a bit of company and to hold the animals which the owners are universally incapable of doing (as your scenario illustrated Bob). There has been more than one occasion when the lady of the house opened to door to see me with a chaperon and looked rather disappointed!

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Sylvia Wilson — Wed, 29 May 2013 09:00:42 GMT

Have a look at www.suzylamplugh.org/personal-safety-tips/ as well.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Jenny Smith — Wed, 29 May 2013 08:57:54 GMT

Veterinary staff have been assaulted whilst working. Two staff members at an OOH clinic were attacked by a very upset owner during their shift. I think it was a GDV case an a very very emotional owner. No need to wait for it to happen, it already is Jenny (Sorry if no paragraphs, I'm on my phone!)

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

bob lehner — Wed, 29 May 2013 08:46:23 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"] Well, I've never had one cry rape but quite a few who would make less than subtle amorous approaches. I will say now I declined (most) advance[/quote]

Compromising situations can arise in all innocence. I remember once going to do a house-call - just to vaccinate a couple of cats. Owner is a reasonably attractive young lady - alone in house. Cats do usual thing on seeing the vet arrive and scarper upstairs. We follow and find they have gone into the matrimonial bedroom and disappeared under the bed. I'm on my hands and knees half under the bed, trying to extricate unwilling victims, whilst the owner sits on bed. Belatedly occurs to me that should the husband suddenly appear on the scene this is not going to look at all good....!

In reality it would be wise to always take a nurse with you when doing house calls.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Richard Sanderson — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:26:12 GMT

[quote user="Zoe Winterton"]

[quote user="Richard Sanderson"]

Really good point Niall. I too am aware of a firearm risk from a farmer because of the 'audacity to bring a female vet student on the farm'. I think the RCVS or BVA needs to look into protection of vets for house visits in the same way that medicine has. Pre-emptive rather than reactive to an incident occuring. I sense reluctance from practice management however as will have increased costs ...

[/quote]

Hi Richard, we have produced guidance on domiciliary visits and lone working which BVA members can download here. If anyone has any other suggestions as to what we could provide to help then please let me know and I will pass your comments on to our Member Services Group

[/quote]

Thans Zoe. Interesting read.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Zoe Davies — Tue, 28 May 2013 17:08:14 GMT

[quote user="Richard Sanderson"]

[/quote]

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:49:31 GMT

[quote user="Braden Collins"]From a male point of view there are other risks of house calls. One clinic I worked in had a client who was an alcoholic and had a reputation for calling trades people to the house then answering the door naked and calling rape. We had a policy of having a nurse present in the room when she was in the clinic because of this reputation. Something like that could destroy your reputation very quickly.

[/quote] Well, I've never had one cry rape but quite a few who would make less than subtle amorous approaches. I will say now I declined (most) advances.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Bob Russell — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:25:31 GMT

We were (thankfully) warned by a nearby practice that one of their female vets and a nurse had carried out a house visit only to find some extremely explicit hard core porn displayed on his computer.

We declined to do a visit!

Nice!

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Braden Collins — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:05:53 GMT

From a male point of view there are other risks of house calls. One clinic I worked in had a client who was an alcoholic and had a reputation for calling trades people to the house then answering the door naked and calling rape. We had a policy of having a nurse present in the room when she was in the clinic because of this reputation. Something like that could destroy your reputation very quickly.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 28 May 2013 14:31:47 GMT

[quote user="Kirsten Simpson"]he threatened to top the dog himself with an overdose of insulin[/quote] Sounds like an eminently good and painless way to do it, the guy clearly had common sense. No doubt the insulin was paid for by you in your taxes anyway! Pity he didn't do the same to himself! Only partly.....

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Kirsten Simpson — Tue, 28 May 2013 14:27:19 GMT

I had one OOH PDSA house call request on a mental night 2 years ago on Fireworks night. SOme guys had got home and his dog was collapsed and he wanted me to PTS it but he was drunk and sweary and I wouldnt go out without a police escort. There was not one available due to a few murders (Glasgow here..) so I wouldn't go out and he threatened to top the dog himself with an overdose of insulin (it was diabetic). I couldn't have gone out anyway as it was just me and a nurse and ACA on and I had a dog possibley going to surgery anyhoo! The stress! Never did find out what happened to it...

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 28 May 2013 12:32:46 GMT

I have only been verbally abused and threatened with violence on one house call and yes, it was the owner's son. However, I even took my gun with me on one visit to a particularly rough are when doing an OOH visit for a neighbouring practice when we shared a rota! There is no-where in my catchment area I would consider a no-go area but if there was, if I had to do a visit I would request a police escort, if they couldn't oblige I would refuse.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Gina Dungworth — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:50:17 GMT

[quote user="Niall Connell"]

Gina, isn't that often the way? The owner is usually fine to deal with but it's the "concerned" relative/neighbour/friend that causes havoc.

[/quote]

Oh, most definitely.

Incidentally, I'm glad to be back on here, and seeing a lot of the familiar names and faces after far too long away.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Niall Connell — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:34:39 GMT

[quote user="Gina Dungworth"]

One house call still sticks in my mind long after the event: when I was called out to by a very nice lady and her equally nice neighbour to put an old dog to sleep. All fine until the nice lady's adult son turned up and started being distinctly off the rails. Fortunately I was able to shut myself in the kitchen with the dog, and by the time I'd done my duty the son had been ejected from the house.

I got off lightly, but it's one of the reasons I don't miss practice all that much.

[/quote]

Gina, isn't that often the way? The owner is usually fine to deal with but it's the "concerned" relative/neighbour/friend that causes havoc.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Gina Dungworth — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:09:22 GMT

I got off lightly, but it's one of the reasons I don't miss practice all that much.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Richard Sanderson — Mon, 27 May 2013 13:09:47 GMT

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Cat Henstridge — Mon, 27 May 2013 09:41:22 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]Despite there been thousands of healthcare workers assaulted in the line of their duty, I am still to hear of a vet incident.[/quote]

Would you prefer there to be one before action was taken?

I would imagine it is an issue of numbers given that a vet hasn't been attacked yet and the fact that most people would have to pay for the visit. I was very pleased when the GtPC included the line about considering personal safety when agreeing to house visits, it was far too long in coming! I still think about that poor girl that was hauled up before the disciplinary committee for refusing to do a visit to a hideous part of town on her own. I think she left the profession in the end, which is not surprising really.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Niall Connell — Sun, 26 May 2013 22:20:01 GMT

[quote user="Sarah Wheeler"]One of my colleagues was threatened by an irate farmer with a shotgun a few years ago.

[/quote]

That incident would be very frightening! I was thinking of my house visits over the years that I did in private practice and with the PDSA. The only real bother I remember was a PDSA visit to a home in Bow in London. The owners were very abusive because my colleague was Indian. Your anecdote made me remember another incident. I was only qualified a few weeks and drove onto a farm in Fife to see a cow. The farmer came out as I was getting out of the car, took one look at me, and said" F**k off". So I did!

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Sarah Wheeler — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:54:31 GMT

One of my colleagues was threatened by an irate farmer with a shotgun a few years ago.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Mark Hedberg — Sun, 26 May 2013 18:17:11 GMT

Well, I haven't ever heard of an incident, but i came very close at least once; home visit to what turned out to be a high-as-a-kite owner. Got away with my life, my nurse, and my drugs, and i was quite prepared to sacrifice the drugs!

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Braden Collins — Sun, 26 May 2013 15:00:55 GMT

One thing I love about working in oz. No obligation to do house calls. And with our clinic employing a couple of female vets we have a policy of no house calls ooh. It's amazing how many people can get their animal in if they really hav to- in the 15 months since we started that policy every animal has been brought in to us that needed to be seen.

Re: Homes too dangerous to visit

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 26 May 2013 14:20:15 GMT

Despite there been thousands of healthcare workers assaulted in the line of their duty, I am still to hear of a vet incident.