Chaperones
What is a Chaperone?
Unity Surgery is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance
Some examinations and treatments, in particular where they involve intimate body parts and states of undress, can make patients feel vulnerable and distressed.
A chaperone is to protect both patients and staff from abuse or allegations of abuse and to assist patients to make an informed choice about their examinations and consultations. chaperone may assist in supporting and reassuring a patient during an examination or procedure.
The healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with the practice chaperones policy.
What to expect?
You can request a chaperone be present during any examination or procedure that you feel uncomfortable with. Expect the role of the chaperone to be clearly explained to you and the person introduced to you by the health care professional who is to undertake the examination or procedure.
Who can be a chaperone?
All clinical and non-clinical staff have received chaperone training.
Arranging a chaperone
If you would like to arrange a chaperone in advance please inform the receptionist when you book your appointment. If during your consultation the clinician feels a chaperone is needed, they will attempt to arrange this, if possible during the consultation. In the unlikely event a chaperone cannot be arranged you may be asked to arrange another appointment.
What is the chaperones responsibility?
At this organisation, chaperones will adhere to the GMC guidance which states chaperones will:
- Be sensitive and respect the patient’s dignity and confidentiality
- Reassure the patient if they show signs of distress or discomfort
- Be familiar with the procedures involved in a routine intimate examination
- Stay for the whole examination and be able to see what the doctor is doing, if practical
- Be prepared to raise concerns if they are concerned about the doctor’s behaviour or actions
The CQC advises that for most patients and procedures, respect, explanation, consent and privacy are all that are needed. These take precedence over the need for a chaperone. A chaperone does not remove the need for adequate explanation and courtesy. Neither can a chaperone provide full assurance that the procedure or examination is conducted appropriately.
-
Can a family member act as a chaperone?
As per the GMC guidance, relatives or friends of the patient are not considered to be an impartial observer so would not usually be a suitable chaperone but staff at this organisation should comply with a reasonable request to have such a person present in addition to the chaperone.
Can I refuse a chaperone?
If the clinician does not want to proceed with the examination without a chaperone but the patient has refused a chaperone, the clinician must clearly explain why they want a chaperone present. The GMC states that ultimately the patient’s clinical needs must take precedence. The clinician may wish to consider referring the patient to a colleague who would be willing to examine them without a chaperone as long as a delay would not adversely affect the patient’s health.
Any discussion about chaperones and the outcome should be recorded in the patient’s medical record, and in particular:
- Who the chaperone was
- Their title
- That the offer was made and declined
Confidentiality & Medical Records
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
Duty of Candour/being open policy
The Practice acts in an open and transparent way with clear, honest and effective communication with patients, their families and carers throughout their care and treatment, including when things go wrong.
The Practice recognises the importance of the following attributes and strives to implement them at all times.
- Openness – Enabling concerns and complaints to be raised freely without fear, and questions asked to be answered.
- Transparency – Allowing information about the truth, about performance and outcomes to be shared with staff, people who use the service, the public and regulators.
- Candour – Any person who uses the service and who is harmed by the provision of a service provider is informed of the fact and an appropriate remedy offered, regardless of whether a complaint has been made, or a question asked about it.
- Apology – An ‘apology’ is an expression of sorrow or regret in respect of a notifiable safety incident. It is not an admission of guilt.
- Appropriate Written Records – Records are complete, legible, accurate and up to date. Every effort must be made to ensure records are updated without any delays.
- Cancelling Treatment – where planned treatment is not carried out as a direct result of the notifiable safety incident.