Use and offering of chaperones by general practitioners: postal questionnaire survey in Norfolk

摘要

Ten years ago in Norfolk, 65% of male general practitioners and 95% of female general practitioners never or rarely used a chaperone. The figures for offering chaperones were almost identical. The General Medical Council advises offering a chaperone for intimate examinations (those involving the genitals, anus, or breasts). The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advises using a chaperone for every intimate examination. A study of patients' preferences in Tyneside in 2001 found that 90% of women and 78% of men thought that a chaperone should be offered for intimate examinations. Half (51%) of women wanted a chaperone to be used if their own male doctor was examining them. We wanted to see if the use of chaperones has changed in the past 10 years and as a result of the 2001 survey.