Residents of a Yorkshire city have been asked to “be kind” to practice staff in an open letter from primary care leaders as GPs warned of a “constant barrage of abuse.” Sheffield’s Clinical Commissioning Group has sought to explain “unprecedented pressures” in the letter to patients.

It said: “While we know being poorly or injured can be stressful and concerning for patients and their families, please be kind to practice staff. We ask you to treat your doctors, their staff, and other visitors courteously and act reasonably at all times.”

The letter says there is a misperception that practices are not seeing many patients and goes on: “We want to reassure you that practices are doing all they can to get through to and see as many patients as possible.”

It points to the measures necessary to protect patients and staff from COVID infection, including a big increase in phone and video consultations.

It adds: “Not only do most patients like telephone and online appointments, but they also stop covid from spreading and staff can get through to more patients, including those with urgent health needs.

“For these reasons, we see fewer patients face-to-face, but if you are assessed as needing a face-to-face appointment or if you request one you will still have one although you may have to wait a bit longer in some cases.”

Local GP Dr Alison Hobbs told the BBC: “Life is really tough. It’s absolutely dire. I’ve never worked as hard as this, I’ve never seen the mismatch between what’s coming in and what we can provide, and I have never felt quite so demoralised about where we’re going.”

In Northern Ireland, senior GPs told politicians that the number of patients seeking help “doesn’t feel safe.”

Regional chair of the Royal College of GPs, Dr Laurence Dorman, told the health committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly: “Many practices I speak to describe genuine fear that the numbers of patients they are providing consultations for – and remember there is significant professional risk we carry – does not feel safe.

“Many other practices describe being one team member sickness away from collapse.”

Dr Dorman spoke of a practice where six out of seven receptionists have handed in their notice because of a “constant barrage of abuse”.

He added: “The abuse of GPs and our staff is indefensible and makes a significant and detrimental impact to our workforce.”