Clinical staff face higher stalking risk

Mental health workers run a greater risk of being stalked than the general population, a study has revealed.

All clinical staff are at risk but psychiatrists may be more vulnerable, according to a review of international research on stalking in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Stalkers who target clinicians may have unrealistic or misplaced expectations of intimacy arising from normal therapeutic relationships, say the authors from the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and West London Mental Health NHS Trust.

They recommend health care organisations adopt educational programmes covering recognition of stalking and risk management strategies.