Erin Gardiner
WDTK
Ref: 13 FOI 167
1st November 2013
Dear Ms Gardiner,
I am writing to confirm that the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) has now completed its search for the information that you requested on the 8th of October 2013.
(1) Policy on Intimate Care and Chaperoning; Policy on close and arms length observation of patients; Policy on physical examination of patients; Policy on restraint.
CNWL does not haveTrust-wide policies specifically relating tointimate care and chaperoning or physical examination of patients, however the policy entitled Healthcare Workers Professional Boundaries covers these issues.
Our policies also specifically state that individuals need to adhere to their own professional codes of conduct relating to chaperoning and physical contact.
Our policycovering restraint is entitledPreventionTherapeutic Management of Violence and Aggression.
(2) Please detail what in the Trust's opinion constitutes intimate care. Please comment if any of the following is considered to be intimate care:
Dressing of wounds;
Taking routine observation requiring physical touch (e.g. blood pressure monitoring, ECG monitoring);
Administration of medication via injection or suppository;
Close or arms length observation of patient attending to personal hygiene, showering, using the toilet, getting dressed/undressed All of the above would be considered to be intimate care of varying degrees. We do not have a specific Trust definition.
(3) With regard to restraint teams only:
How many teams are based on site?All clinical staff working in inpatient environments are expected to be control and restraint trained. Withqualified and unqualified clinical staff receiving initialfive day physicalintervention training, followed by a three day refresher every three years.
Does the Trust use security guards as restrainers?The Trust does not use securityguards as restrainers.
How many of trained restrainers are male and how many female?
Below is the breakdown of male/female staff who have received PMVA training during the last three years.
Apr 2010 – Sept 2013PMVA related training attendance:
Female / 961
Male / 530
Total / 1491
This comprises of:
- Breakaway techniques
- Physical intervention
- De-escalation techniques (CAMHS staff).
The numbers are based on one = attendance per staff member. I have not included where a staff member has attended the training more than once.
You have sought access to the information by means of email, and I consider this an appropriate form of access in this case. Accordingly, the information that we hold is listedor attached above.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications relating to this request.
The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You are free to use it for your own purposes, including any noncommercial research you are doing and for the purposes of news reporting. Any other reuse, for example commercial publication, would require the permission of the copyright holder.
This concludes your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your request please contact the Trust Head of Information Governance(Dr Araripe Garboggini) at the above address or via email at
If you are still unsatisfied, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner is the statutory regulator for the Freedom of Information Act. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the procedures provided by the Trust. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely
Nigel Heness
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Officer
13 FOI 167 Response
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