Looking back at an appointment many years ago and having concerns about male health practitioner’s conduct

[BranchingOut]

In the last year or so I’ve had thoughts/concerns about an occupational health assessment that I had, aged 22, in my first job. I was asked to strip to my underwear for a hands-on cardiac examination, which looking back, was not at all proportionate for a slim, healthy 22 year old. This was in an institutional health centre, which was the occupational health provider for my employer. The institution was connected with education.

The doctor was probably in his late twenties early thirties at the time - very likely to still be practising now. I felt embarrassed at the time but chalked it up to ‘this is required for me to get my new job’. Years later I heard the joke about unnecessary breast examinations…🙁

What would be the first steps in exploring this? A freedom of information request for the records? I am not going in blazing but want to get a sense of ‘Was this ok?’

Thanks

I’m interested in the responses as I also had a horrible experience at the hands of a male dr conducting a gynae procedure that, in later years, has really affected me. I don’t really know how to find out the information as to who he was and if any complaints were ever made about him. The young chaperone actually walked down to where he was and stood at his shoulder as she seemed aware he was being inappropriate. I just froze.
It’s a horrible feeling, being so powerless when you assume a Dr is doing the best for you.

You should at least have been offered a chaperone. I hope you are able to find some answers.

I don't know but am interested because of a past experience of my own.

If you know the name of the doctor you can look them up easily on the General Medical Council register. You can also make a complaint directly to the GMC

Thanks for the replies. I don’t know his name, the letter just said something like ‘report to the health centre’. But I think that I would recognise him.

Any thoughts?

Can you look up the health centre - does he still work there? To be honest, he may well have moved on from occupational health. You could write directly to the health centre and make a subject access request for your health record - there may be a small fee. There may be some information there.

Sorry I don't have any answers but watching with interest as I had an odd experience too. May have been normal I don't know but I was 18 and went to the GP because I was pregnant and he examined my breasts..I can't remember if he said why and I don't remember being offered a chaperone.
Was this normal/ok?

I think my options are:

Contact HR of the institution and ask to access my records.

Contact an official body of Occupational Health professionals and find out if that was ‘normal’.

Contact the health centre, which seems to have become an ordinary GP practice.

Contact Royal College of General Practitioners for advice

Any thoughts?

I would just leave it and move on I think.

Mistymountain
I would just leave it and move on I think.

No, don’t do this! For the sake of others you need to follow it through. Think jimmy saville, Harvey Weinstein etc etc

Well yes, I have raised this for a reason. The reason being that he very likely has quite a few more years left to practise medicine.

However, if I find out that this examination was considered reasonable practice at the time, then of course I will leave it. Because even though I didn’t like it at the time, I recognise that I am looking back with the benefit of hindsight and that ideas of what is acceptable or not acceptable are socially determined.

I had a medical for a job too at age 19 where my breasts were examined too .
Only looking back did I realise this was unnecessary . Swines got away with so much in the past ,