Children in Hospital.

[geoffrey]

I have just been informed of a situation where a mature 15-year-old child in hospital had their bathing and toilet needs attended to on occasion by a member of the opposite gender. When the child asked for a person of the same gender the comment was dismissed as being silly..

There was no suggestion of any impropriety but does a child have any rights in this matter and are there not safeguarding issues to be considered?.

Equality laws of course require that if a female can attend to a boy then a male must be able to attend to a girl.)

[PAWS]

Re: Childs right to dignity.


This is an interesting one Geoffrey. A few years ago I hadsome health issues and I was asked if I would prefer a female doctor andconsultant as many women prefer this. Now I was not worried but I canunderstand how this could be extremely uncomfortable for some. One of theclever beagles may be able to help but if not I will be seeing someone over theweekend who may know something about this issue and I will certainly ask thequestion.

[Sleepyhead]

Re: Childs right to dignity.

Well my 15 year old daughter is very mature.
Would be putting a complaint in and having words with who ever allowed it to happen.Its verging on criminal,would r report it to authorites.(police)

[des8]

Re: Childs right to dignity.

You might find this leaflet issued by GMC for doctors useful as general reference:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documen.../0-18_0510.pdf

For example page 12 para 25 where the child's capacity to consent is discussed
Appendix 1 is also useful

Have you considered asking "childline" or NSPCC for their view. This might not be considered a major problem by some, and perhaps should not be classed as "abuse" (with all the connotations of that word), but I would think it was at least very embarrassing for the child.

[leclerc]

Re: Childs right to dignity.

Yeah there is having certain laws regarding child's right. The strategy of this is needs to the response of government, professionals working with children and civil society. But I don't think there is any right for the children for having the silly issues like bathing and toilet.

That's post 9 for you and so far you're making little sense apart from attempting to paraphrase stuff. Please can you post up the issue you have in a separate thread and hopefully we can help otherwise, you're kinda not being helpful at all and your knowledge of child protection is limited.

[geoffrey]

Children in Hospital.

When a child of 15 complained about having their shoewering supervised by one person of the opposite gender the hospital said that they had no rules about as must children were unconcerned about it, yet it seems wrong. Are there any laws about it? At the very least I would have thought that two persons should be required of who at least one is of the same gender as it is basic safeguarding practice.

[leclerc]

Re: Children in Hospital.

The hospital will have someone who deals with children's welfare and, yet again, I find myself having to write the words, depending on the circumstances of the case and the medical condition of the child will depend on whether a trained nurse can do this. It would be like saying that a male doctor could not work as a midwife.

If this is a real case then search the hospital for the children's safeguarding person for the hospital and write to them or deal with a complaint through the hospital and they will provide their viewpoint. There is not enough information for me, to give a fuller answer.

[des8]

Re: Children in Hospital.

Is his the same case as: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ht=#post461663

[geoffrey]

Re: Children in Hospital.

Yes it is the same case as I had forgotten that I had sent it in. NHS England say that they have no national policy on it but it is worrying after the Jimmy Savill case and that of a male consultant and a female nursing assistant abusing children in hospital. With all the high profile being given to safeguarding I am surprised that this appears to be a loophole. Matter again taken up nationally by a youth enquiry & advisory service.

[wales01man]

Re: Children in Hospital.

I think we have to have a degree of trust in health professionals there are a million employed in the NHS a few MAY be undesirables but there was One Saville if anyone has a problem with the person treating/caring for them they can refuse and ask for someone else.

With so much publicity about the likes of Saville and this Doctor I can see why people worry but for the most I believe Staff are there for the Benefit of others and when things go wrong or are not seen to be right there are systems to safeguard all of us

[stevemLS]

Re: Children in Hospital.

What Wales says.

The VAST majority of healthcare professionals are caring people who would no more dream of harming a child or anyone else for that matter than they would fly to to moon.

If you adopted the approach suggested you would double the cost of the health service overnight - every single healthcare intervention would require double staffing.

Quite apart from anything else, does the child in the shower want to be supervised by committee?

[Kati]

Re: Children in Hospital.

Is his the same case as: http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ht=#post461663

Yes it is the same case as I had forgotten that I had sent it in. NHS England say that they have no national policy on it but it is worrying after the Jimmy Savill case and that of a male consultant and a female nursing assistant abusing children in hospital. With all the high profile being given to safeguarding I am surprised that this appears to be a loophole. Matter again taken up nationally by a youth enquiry & advisory service.

I have merged the to threads so it is easier to see what has been said up to now

[geoffrey]

Re: Children in Hospital.

A safeguarding authority has just got a senior lawyer who specialises in this kind of thing to reply. She says that there is no law requiring same-gender supervision of children in hospital but that it is most unwise for such supervision to be carried out by one person and especially one person of the opposite gender. However, she pointed out that if a hospital required same gender supervision for girls it would be in breach of the gender-equality legislation if it did not also require same-gender supervision for boys. However, to require female supervision for girls and male supervision for boys would be legal although it would be wise for two people to be present for safeguarding reasons.


Thanks for your comments anyway. This question was not brought to us as a safeguarding issue but we considered there were potential safeguarding risks as one can never be too sure. I agree however that more than 99.9% of nurses are trustworthy but the same applies to teachers and priests and youth leaders and others and they are never permitted to be alone with one child and especially an opposite-gender child.

[wales01man]

Re: Children in Hospital.

Maybe the rules say Teachers Priests and others are never permitted to be alone with one child what happens if they are?
Another Rule that is totally unenforceable we have to I am sorry to say to trust others only when they do wrong and are caught can we do anything about it.

If anyone has any suspicions about another they must say problem is as we have seen in the aftermath of saville others do not believe what they are told

[ailegalcounsel]

Re: Children in Hospital.

I think it is not good. This make's a patient uncomfortable.