Have your say: Independent review invites submissions on the use of chaperones

05 Sep 2016

Submissions are invited for an independent review on the use of chaperones to protect Australian patients, with detailed terms of reference being published today.

Announced on 10 August 2016, the independent review has been commissioned by the Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and is being undertaken by Professor Ron Paterson, Professor of Law at the University of Auckland and Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Melbourne Law School.

Professor Paterson encourages interested parties to share the call for submissions with their networks, to ensure a wide range of submissions are received.

‘This is an important review. I’m keen to hear from a range of individuals and groups about their experience and views on the use of chaperones to protect patients’, said Professor Paterson.

‘As an independent reviewer, I think it’s particularly important that people with a personal experience of chaperoning, either as a patient or as a health practitioner, make a submission for me to consider as part of the review’, said Professor Paterson.

AHPRA CEO Mr Martin Fletcher said that the review will inform the ways in which the Board and AHPRA can strengthen the approach to protecting patients.

‘We are very pleased that Professor Paterson who is an internationally renowned expert on patient safety is leading this independent review’, said Mr Fletcher.

‘The data, experience in Australia and internationally and research evidence which the review will consider will ensure that our approach best serves the community’, said Mr Fletcher.

The independent National Health Practitioner Ombudsman, Ms Samantha Gavel, is providing Professor Paterson with the secretariat for the review.

Professor Paterson will report his finding and recommendations to the Medical Board of Australia and AHPRA by early 2017. The review report will be provided to Health Ministers and will be made publicly available.

Submissions to Professor Paterson’s independent review closed on Monday 3 October 2016.

For more information, please refer to the review’s Terms of reference.

For more information

• Terms of reference: Independent review on use of chaperones to protect patients (279 KB,PDF), Word version (97.6 KB,DOCX)
• Submission guide: Independent review on use of chaperones to protect patients (168 KB,PDF), Word version (24.5 KB,DOCX)
• All media inquiries: (03) 8708 9200
• Inquiries about the lodgment of submissions: National Health Practitioner Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner, 1300 795 265

Where to go for help

Discussions of sexual abuse can be distressing to survivors and their families. Support is available:

• Lifeline: 131114
• National sexual assault helpline 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
• Beyondblue: 1300 224 636

Download a PDF of this Media release - Have your say: Independent review invites submissions on the use of chaperones - 5 September 2016 (194 KB,PDF)