Sexual assault allegations against doctors are rising, but most are cleared
BMJ 2015; 351 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h4163 (Published 30 July 2015) Cite this as: BMJ 2015;351:h4163The number of allegations of sexual assault made against doctors is increasing, but most doctors are cleared after investigation, the Medical Defence Union has said.
The MDU said that allegations of sexual assault against its members had risen by 66% over a decade, from 12 allegations in 2003 to 20 in 2013. However, of the 20 cases in 2013, 17 were closed with no further action. In the remaining three cases the doctors involved were convicted of a criminal offence or faced disciplinary action, the MDU said.
Beverley Ward, an MDU medicolegal adviser, said, “While in the vast majority of cases the doctor is cleared of any wrongdoing, the investigations into the incident can be prolonged, damaging for the doctor’s career and distressing for all involved.”
She added, “If the media pick up on the story it can be very upsetting, as, even if the doctor is later cleared, he may feel his reputation has been tainted.”
Ward said that allegations usually arose as a result of a misunderstanding—for example, a patient not understanding why a symptom in one part of the body may require an examination of another area. “It’s important for the doctor to explain why an examination is necessary and what it involves,” she said.
Doctors should also be sensitive to what patients may think of as an intimate examination and offer a chaperone if appropriate, she said. “It’s worth noting that a chaperone was not present in any of the sexual assault allegation cases notified to us in 2013.”
The MDU said that it has issued advice to help doctors avoid misunderstandings when examining patients.1