Chaperones: protecting the patient or protecting the doctor?

Karen E. Rogstad

doi:10.1071/SH07022

EDITORIAL

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Chaperones: protecting the patient or protecting the doctor?

Karen E. Rogstad

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, S10 2JF, UK. Email: karen.rogstad@sth.nhs.uk

Sexual Health 4(2) 85-87 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH07022
Submitted: 11 April 2007 Accepted: 26 April 2007 Published: 23 May 2007

Abstract

The routine use of chaperones during medical examinations, including intimate examinations, is variable. Practice varies between countries and also within them. Use of a chaperone may protect patients from sexual abuse by medical or nursing practitioners. An appropriate chaperone may also protect healthcare practitioners from false accusations. This article considers issues surrounding the use of chaperones and suggests a chaperoning policy for sexual health clinics, while acknowledging that it may not be appropriate or acceptable to all patients or medical staff, or for different parts of the world.

Additional keywords: intimate examinations, sexual health.

References

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| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |