The Attitudes and Practices of General Practitioners about the Use of Chaperones in Melbourne, Australia

Introduction. To consider the use of medical chaperones during certain clinical examinations is important whether one practises as a specialist, nurse, medical student, or generalist. Chaperones have been used by doctors conducting intimate examinations for many years but their true extent remains largely unknown. Until recently, there was no national guidance in Australia. Aim. To explore the attitudes and practices of general practitioners (GP) regarding their use of chaperones in urban Melbourne, Australia. Method. Qualitative two focus groups involving seventeen GPs from two locations. Discussions were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed. Results. Common themes and subthemes emerged which were grouped into three main areas: (a) practitioner-related, (b) patient-related and (c) practice related. Discussion. This is the first study from an Australian primary care perspective to gauge the attitudes and experiences of GPs on their use of chaperones. It will provide vital information to inform the next step of extending this research to a national GP audience. From an international perspective, this study provides an excellent template for other primary care clinicians to conduct research in this important field of doctor-patient relationship. 1. Introduction Medical chaperones are people, often health professionals that act as third-party observers during certain clinical examinations (most often intimate examinations), either at the request of the patient or because of the doctor’s clinical judgement. The issue of medical chaperones is important whether one practises as a specialist, nurse, medical student, or generalist. This is repeatedly highlighted by newspapers and medical magazines where doctors (or nurses) have acted inappropriately. It often has life-changing repercussions for one or both parties [1, 2]. Although chaperones have been used by doctors conducting intimate examinations for many years, there seems to be no uniformity as to how and when chaperones should be used varying considerably between countries [3]. In some countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom, chaperones are used routinely [4, 5]. In other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, there is the potential influence of culture and religion [6], but in other countries, the use of chaperones remains largely unknown. In Australia, there are no publications about the use of medical chaperones that relate to primary care where the vast majority of medical consultations occur. There is limited guidance from the Royal College of Australian General Practitioners (RACGP)