PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Moon, Rebecca Jane
AU  - Davies, Justin Huw
TI  - Confidence, consent and chaperones for pubertal staging examinations: a national survey
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2022-324784
DP  - 2023 Jan 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 31--35
VI  - 108
IP  - 1
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/108/1/31.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/108/1/31.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2023 Jan 01; 108
AB  - Objective General Medical Council (GMC) guidance describes an intimate examination as one that may be embarrassing for the patient, for example, breast or genitalia examination. Documentation of consent and use of a trained impartial observer (chaperone) is recommended. Pubertal staging is often necessitated for assessment of growth and puberty. We assessed current practice of pubertal staging by paediatricians and paediatric endocrinology nurse specialists (PENS) in the UK.Methods An electronic survey was distributed to paediatricians (consultants and trainees) and PENS across the UK. The survey enquired about training received, confidence in and typical practice for pubertal staging examinations.Results 235 responses were received. Low confidence in pubertal staging was commonly reported by trainees and consultants without an endocrinology interest.Most respondents consider pubertal staging to be an intimate examination for male (94.9%) and female (93.1%) patients. Consent to examination is always documented by 38.2% of respondents. 62.0% and 54.8% report always using a chaperone for male and female pubertal staging, respectively. However, many respondents use a parent as the chaperone. Few document the name of the chaperone used. Patient objections and availability of chaperones were commonly perceived barriers to chaperone use.Conclusion Most clinicians consider pubertal staging an intimate examination, but documentation of consent and use of formal chaperones is not standard practice. The use of a parent as a chaperone was common but is not recommended by the GMC. Local chaperone policies should address these issues to protect patients and clinicians.Data are available upon reasonable request.