Section 55 — Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989: Restrictions on internal examinations and examinations under general anaesthetic

55 Restrictions on internal examinations and examinations under general anaesthetic (1) No medical examination carried out under section 53 of this Act shall include any internal examination of the genitals or anus of any child or young person unless— (a) The medical practitioner carrying out the examination believes that the child or young person may have been subject to recent physical or sexual abuse involving either or both of those parts of the body; and (b) The child or young person consents to such an examination of that part of the body. (2) No medical examination carried out under section 53 of this Act shall include any medical procedure that involves the administration of a general anaesthetic to the child or young person. (3) Nothing in subsection (1)(b) of this section requires the consent of any child or young person to any examination if the age or level of maturity of the child or young person makes it impracticable to obtain such consent.