Abstract
Aim
To compare current practice of documenting consent and offering chaperones when performing breast examinations in the acute setting, with standards set by regulatory bodies (General Medical Council, Royal College of Emergency Medicine and Royal College of Surgeons).
Method
Data was collected retrospectively from all patients presenting with breast complaints to either the emergency department (ED) or the surgical assessment unit (SAU) over a 34-month period. From the clerk-in notes, the role (Dr/Nurse), grade (FY1 to consultant) and gender of the examiner was noted, as well as whether consent was documented and if a chaperone was offered.
Results
Of the 64 patients presenting in this time frame, consent was documented in 7 sets of notes (11%). Furthermore, 17 were offered a chaperone (27%), of which examiners correctly documented the name and role of the chaperone on 11 occasions.
Results also demonstrated that ED trainees were most likely to offer a chaperone and GP trainees were the best at recording consent. It also revealed that although male examiners offered a chaperone 50% of the time compared to 6% of female examiners, women examiners were better at documenting consent when compared to their male counterparts.
Conclusion
The audit results indicate that there is significant room for improvement across all roles, grades and genders with regards to documentation of consent and the use of chaperones within the acute setting, in order to meet current standards of practice as set out by regulatory bodies.
Redesigning the psychiatry induction
