I'm an A&E doctor. It's not my job to report the victims of knife crime

I'm an A&E doctor. It's not my job to report the victims of knife crime I’m concerned about the impact this new legislation could have on victims seeking my care. We risk losing their trust

While working a night shift in A&E last New Year’s Eve, I looked after a 17-year-old stab wound victim, Ben. It had been a busy night, our usual winter pressures exacerbated by the flurry of drunken injuries and cocaine-induced panic attacks. Ben had been booked in by our reception team as a “wrist injury” and had been sitting in the waiting room for a long time before I saw him. He followed me into a cubicle, cradling his wrist in a tea towel under his T-shirt.

Based on his booking information I was expecting a sprain, a quick consultation, an x-ray, and then to give him painkillers to take away. Instead he unwrapped his arm to show me a 10cm gash from his wrist up his forearm. It was thankfully not too deep and I was able to stop the bleeding with a few stitches and a pressure dressing. He responded vaguely to my questions that it had been “a friend” at a party and was “no big deal”. The Guardian