Chaperone Policy
Code:POL 4
Date: 17/06/2014
Reviewed: 24/01/2019
Purpose:
To ensure that patients are comfortable and secure whilst undergoing intimate examination.
To ensure that patients are protected from exploitation whilst undergoing intimate examination.
To ensure that staff are protected from unfounded allegations of exploitation arising from intimate examination of patients of either sex.
Responsible Staff:
Implementation: Clinical Director
Action: Clinical Staff
Audit: Practice Administrator
Audit:
Code | Cycle (months) | Criterion | Standard |
| 12 | All clinicians are asked if they have had difficulty implementing the chaperone policy in the previous 12 months. Action is taken to mitigate any such difficulty. | 80% |
| 12 | A Copy of the chaperone statement is displayed by every examination couch. | 100% |
Training Resources:
Linked Policies:
Policy:
In general, the examination of the genital area of either sex or the breasts of female or transexual clients should be considered to be an intimate examination.
This not withstanding, all clients should be offered a chaperone, regardless of the nature of the examination if:
Their cultural needs would generally require it (eg: some moslem women)
They need to lie down for the examination to take place.
There may be other circumstances when a chaperone may be appropriate. It is generally better to offer than not, even when examining clients of the same sex as the examiner.
Clients may be examined without a chaperone, but the circumstances should be recorded, including an annotation in the notes. COD (chaperone offered, declined) is an acceptable abbreviation for this if they prefer no chaperone.
Where a client asks not to have a chaperone present, the clinician should generally agree to the request provided that the request is reasonable, the client is well known to the clinician and the clinician is comfortable with the request.
Where such requests are made, it is essential that the fact is annotated in the clinical notes, including the reason specified by the client for their preference.
A clinician has the absolute right to refuse to examine a client without a chaperone present.
Where a clinician is uncomfortable examining a client without a chaperone, and the client is not prepared to be examined with one, the client should be referred to a clinician who might consider the client's request favourably. Where possible, this should be done in-house and at no additional charge to the client. Such events should be considered significant incidents and recorded in the incident file.
Where a chaperone is unavailable, clients should be offered the opportunity to return for a free consultation at a time when a chaperone is available. Clients should not be pressured into accepting examination without a chaperone simply for convenience.
Revisions:
24/01/2019
Audit cycle extended to 12 months as this is best managed in an Annual Appraisals.