Good medical practice (GMC) recommends that patients should be offered whenever possible an impartial observer (a chaperone) to be present when intimate examinations are to be undertaken. This applies whether or not the patient is the same gender as the doctor.

A chaperone should usually be a health professional and should have received suitable training for the role of chaperone.

A relative or friend of the patient is not an impartial observer and so would not usually be a suitable chaperone. However, we would always endeavour to comply with a reasonable request to have such a person present as well as a chaperone.

If either the patient or the doctor does not want the examination to go ahead without a chaperone present, or if either you are uncomfortable with the choice of chaperone the medical can be postponed to a later date to allow time to secure an alternative chaperone.

Very occasionally the doctor may be uncomfortable to proceed without a chaperone present. In this circumstance it would be necessary to discontinue and rearrange the medical for a time when a chaperone is available.

The consent form you will sign before your medical has an abridged statement relating to chaperoning. A chaperone cannot routinely be provided as suitably trained professionals are not available in the building. Please therefore request a chaperone when booking your medical to enable arrangements to be put in place. Should you feel on the day you would be more comfortable with a chaperone present please do not hesitate to inform Dr Simpson and the medical can be rescheduled as described above.