Yes, an injury sustained from an attack with a knife, blade or sharp instrument should usually be reported to the police. Accidental injury from, or self-harm with, a knife or blade will not usually require notification.
GMC guidance acknowledges that there might be circumstances in which you consider that contacting police is not proportionate - for example, if nobody else is at risk and that contact the police could cause harm, distress to the patient or damage their trust.
You should not usually provide patient identifiers in your first contact with the police.
Identifying details such as name and address should usually only be disclosed with the patient's consent. If the patient refuses, the information may only be disclosed if you consider it is in the public interest, or you are required to by court order.
For more, read our guide on disclosure to third parties.
You can also read a case scenario in the MDU journal.
This page was correct at publication on 03/02/2025. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.