Life on the ground #1: Who pays for vomit damage?
A patient vomits in a shared area of the building before a non-urgent appointment. The practice pays for professional cleaning and asks the patient to cover it. The patient refuses and complains. What should happen?
From the archive
First published on 8 September 2022 and kept for reference. Details may have changed since then.
Recently we heard the story of a patient visiting a GP practice about a non-urgent orthopaedic matter.
On arrival, and before presenting to staff, the patient vomited in a communal part of the building, a space shared with other businesses.
With vomit still on their clothes, the patient then presented to the doctor.
The doctor consulted briefly with the patient, and they agreed to reschedule for the following day, given the non-urgent nature of the appointment and the vomiting.
The communal area needed professional cleaning, and the practice felt the cost should be passed on to the patient.
However, the patient refused to pay the cleaning charge and complained about the practice's lack of care in the situation.
Over to you
What do you think should happen in a scenario like this? Have you had similar experiences?
