Chaperone Policy

All practice staff who act as chaperones will have received training and are bound by terms of employment to respect and maintain patient confidentiality and dignity.

You have the right to decline an individual chaperone and request another. 

Likewise, the chaperone may feel that it is inappropriate for them to be in that examination, eg if they know you personally.

Once you have said that you want a chaperone present the examination should not go ahead if a suitable chaperone cannot be found. Instead, it should be postponed for another time.
If the doctor feels that it is urgent that the examination take place, they will explain that to you.

If the examination involves you undressing, then:
o	You will only be asked to remove the clothing necessary to complete the examination
o	You will be given time to undress in privacy behind the curtain
o	Once you are ready the clinician and chaperone will come inside the curtain.
o	If at any time during the examination you become uncomfortable with what is happening, you should indicate this to the clinician or to the chaperone.
o	Once the examination is complete you will be given time to dress in privacy. The chaperone will only leave the consulting room once you are fully dressed.

In keeping with national guidelines the following will be recorded in you electronic medical record:
o	That you were offered a chaperone
o	Whether you accepted or declined a chaperone
o	Who the chaperone was
o	Your verbal consent for the examination

In addition, following the consultation, the chaperone will also record that they were present.

Your Guide to 
Chaperones

Church Street Partnership

30a Church Street
Bishop’s Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2LY

01279 657636

www.churchstsurgery.co.uk

What is a Chaperone?

A chaperone is an observer who is present for all or part of your consultation with a doctor or nurse.

Informal Chaperone
This will be a person you know, such as a friend, relative or carer. You may want to have them with you for reassurance, for cultural reasons or to help you to understand and remember what the doctor or nurse says.

Formal Chaperone
This is a person employed by the practice, such as a nurse or healthcare assistant, or a trained non-clinical staff member, such as a receptionist, secretary or administrator.

FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS LEAFLET THE TERM ‘CHAPERONE’ WILL REFER TO FORMAL CHAPERONES.

Limitations:
The majority of the practice staff are women, so male chaperones are very difficult to arrange.

Role of the Chaperone

This will vary a great deal, and will usually be passive (simply a presence in the room). It may involve:

o	Providing emotional comfort and reassurance to patients

o	Acting as a witness to the patient’s continuing consent during the procedure/ examination

o	Providing health professionals with protection against unfounded allegations of improper behaviour

o	Identifying unusual or unacceptable behaviour by a health professional

o	Being present as a safeguard for all parties (patient and practitioners)

Who can request a Chaperone?

You as the patient can request a chaperone, as can the doctor or nurse.

Once either party has made the request, the examination cannot proceed without a chaperone.

If the clinician requests a chaperone and you do not want one then the examination may have to be rearranged with another doctor or nurse.

What is an intimate examination?

Obvious examples include examinations of the breast, genitalia and the rectum.

However, the term can be extended to any situation where you may feel uncomfortable, such as where it is necessary for the doctor or nurse to touch or be close to you, for example:

•	Eye examinations
•	Abdominal examinations
•	Listening to chest sounds