ABSTRACT
The chaperone is present to 'catch the osteopath out' but for reassurance. It might be adequate for a chaperone to be in an adjacent room but, for the chaperoning to have validity, the receptionist should be able to clearly hear what is being said. Under normal circumstances if an osteopath offers a patient a chaperone and it is refused, the osteopath should make a clear note of the refusal in the record. Although chaperones serve to provide reassurance and support for patients they are very important in some circumstances for the safety of the osteopath. A career can be placed in jeopardy by an allegation of unprofessional treatment and, although the idea of chaperones has been popular with some practitioners, they can provide a crucial level of safety in some cases. During the course of many osteopathic procedures patients may be required to remove clothing and submit themselves to intimate examinations.
