We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable - these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.

You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.

Chaperone Policy

New Longton Surgery  is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment where the safety of patients and staff is of paramount importance.  Patients experiencing consultations, examinations, and investigations should feel and be safe and supported, and should experience as little discomfort as possible.  Equally, we have a duty to our healthcare professionals to ensure that their actions are not at risk of being misconstrued or misrepresented if they conduct examinations/consultations where no third party is present.  

This policy is designed 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.

 The chaperoning lead in the practice is Dr Linda Whitworth.  She is responsible for ensuring its implementation and assuring quality and safety governance. This includes ensuring staff are trained and competent to act as chaperones and that record keeping procedures are clear and well-implemented. 

What is a Chaperone?

A chaperone is an individual present as a safeguard for both parties and is a witness in examinations/consultations to both the conduct of both parties and the ongoing consent of the patient.

The precise role of the chaperone varied depending on circumstances, most commonly including:

• Providing protection to healthcare professionals against unfounded allegations of improper behaviour.
• Assisting in the examination/procedure, for example handing instruments.
• Assisting with undressing, dressing, and positioning of patients.
• Providing a degree of emotional support and reassurance to patients.
• Raising concerns if they are concerned about the clinician’s behaviour or actions.

Who may Chaperone?

The presence of a family member, parent or carer does not replace the need for a chaperone. A chaperone is for the organisation to provide, under their organisational chaperoning policy, on request of the patient or their family or carer. However, the patient may wish to decline the offer of a chaperone if they feel that their family member or carer is able to provide the support they need

A variety of people can act as a chaperone in the practice. Where possible, it is strongly recommended that chaperones should be clinical staff familiar with procedural aspects of personal examination. 

Where the practice determines that non-clinical staff will act in this capacity the patient must agree to the presence of a non-clinician in the examination and be at ease with this. The staff member should be trained in the procedural aspects of personal examinations, comfortable in acting in the role of chaperone, and be confident in the scope and extent of their role. All non-clinical staff acting as chaperones will be DBS checked. This should be at least a standard DBS check, but eligibility should be assessed individually based on the specific context of the ask.

Practice Procedure

If a chaperone was not requested at the time of booking the appointment, the clinician will offer the patient a chaperone explaining the requirements:

• Contact reception and request a chaperone
• Record in the individual’s healthcare record that a chaperone is present and identify them
• The chaperone should be introduced to the patient
• The chaperone should assist as required but maintain a position so that they are able to witness the procedure/examination (usually at the head end)
• The chaperone should adhere to their role at all times
• Post procedure or examination, the chaperone should ensure they annotate in the patient’s healthcare record that they were present during the examination and there were no issues observed
• The clinician will annotate in the individual’s healthcare record the full details of the procedure as per current medical records policy