Paid 'bouncers' are to be drafted in to protect family doctors from a rising tide of violence.

Worthing Primary Care Group is setting up a 'secure surgery' for patients who have been struck off GPs' lists.

The move follows six attacks in recent months, including one where a doctor was threatened with a knife.

Group chief executive Bob Deschene said the recorded attacks were only the tip of the iceberg.

The £20,000 measure is part of a 'zero-tolerance' strategy planned for the town.

Violent patients will no longer be registered with a single practice but will be treated as a group, with their own one-hour lunchtime surgery each day.

A security guard would be placed outside while patients see their GP, who could press a panic button to summon assistance.

Mr Deschene said: "We can't say, 'No, we don't want to treat you'. But at the moment if someone is removed from a GP's list, they will be allocated another GP.

"The patient comes back on to an overall list and whatever the next surgery in line is, they will be allocated the patient.

"The surgery will be aware the patient is violent but they will not be entitled to refuse them service. This does nothing to address the problem of their violent behaviour.

"We have tried to deal with this group in a more structured way that avoids incidents which might upset doctors, other staff and other patients.

"These attacks can be terrifying, particularly if the patient is looking for drugs. They may be desperate and sometimes they are armed."

Out-of-hours care is still under discussion. It is likely the patients would still be seen by the West Sussex Doctors On Call Co-operative, where GPs are accompanied on their calls.