Chaperone Policy

The practice operates a chaperone policy for patients who may want another person present if an intimate examination needs to be performed.

What is a Chaperone?

There are two types of chaperone:

Informal, which is the presence of a familiar person of the patients’ choice and

Formal, which is a clinical health person such as a nurse or a specifically trained clinical staff member such as a receptionist.

To protect the patient from vulnerability and embarrassment the chaperone would normally be of the same sex as the patient. The patient has the right to decline the Formal chaperone if he/she feels that they are unacceptable for any reason. Please ask a receptionist or the doctor you are seeing if you would like a chaperone present during your consultation.