A GP practice in Nottinghamshire was subject to a potential case of arson, which saw emergency services having to attend the scene.
There has been an ‘extensive’ police and fire investigation into the attack on Roundwood Surgery, Mansfield, which took place at around 5am on Tuesday (2 February).
It is the latest in a series of attacks on GP practices in recent years.
In a statement published on Tuesday morning, the practice wrote: ‘With very sad news Roundwood Surgery at Wood Street was broken into in the early hours of this morning and set on fire. Emergency services are still present and Wood Street is blocked off.
‘If you have an appointment today please do not turn up. We will be in contact with you.’
A later statement on its website said: ‘Luckily the fire was contained to one clinical room. However, we don’t know what the water damage is as of yet.
‘On behalf of the whole team at Roundwood Surgery we cannot express in words how thankful we are for all the amazing comments you have given us. We are truly blessed to have such amazing patients. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’
Detective Inspector Stuart Temple, who is leading Nottinghamshire Police’s investigation, said the following day (3 February) that it was potential arson: ‘Firefighters and police officers were swiftly on the scene following a report of a fire to a surgery in Mansfield.
‘Officers closed the surrounding roads following the incident.
‘A joint fire and police investigation began on Tuesday morning and we are now treating the fire as a possible deliberate ignition. We continue to appeal to anyone can help with our enquiries to come forward.
‘There has been no report of any injuries.’
The news comes as last month, a man admitted to setting fire to a GP practice in Gloucester, causing more than half a million pounds worth of damage during the episode in 2019.
Last year, eight people were assaulted at a practice in Buckinghamshire, while a practice in Bristol was vandalised with ‘anti-GP’ graffiti a matter of months later.
Management in Practice also reported in October (2020) on how practice managers were dealing with a spike in patient abuse during Covid-19.
A version of this story first appeared on our sister title, Pulse.
