Dialogue Volume 11 Issue 3 2015 | Page 23

Sexual abuse initiative Council actions enhance commitment to patients Process improvements, request for legislative changes help form the College’s sexual abuse initiative to better support, protect patients photo: MASTERFILE C for therapy and counselling for surviouncil continues to proRead what we are doing vors of sexual abuse by physicians. pose a number of changes 24 Previous Council Decisions Council also addressed the issue of – both to the legislation gender-based restrictions – an issue that which governs us, and to 25 Sexual Abuse Principles has been the subject of particular scruour own processes and practices – that 27 Legislation Changes tiny recently. Council directed that all will better protect and support Ontario further decisions to use gender-based patients from physician sexual abuse. 30 Processes and Practices restrictions be measured against a set of The proposed changes stem from our 33 Patient Support and particular factors. ongoing initiative to ensure that we are Access “When we set out on this initiative, doing all that we can to support and 34 Education and Training we made it clear that everything was on protect patients from physician sexual the table for discussion,” said Dr. Carol abuse. Leet, College President. “These decisions demonstrate The actions at the most recent meeting range from our commitment to patients. Sexual abuse of patients is making changes to our own processes to seeking new an issue that we take very seriously and it is behaviour powers in our governing legislation. For example, we that won’t be tolerated,” she said. will ask for a change that would give the Inquiries, Sexual abuse investigations represent 2% of the ColComplaints and Reports Committee the ability to relege’s total investigations each year. That figure has been open certain investigations if significant new informaconstant for 10 years. tion comes to light. We will also ask for a number of Please read the following pages for more details. changes to a program that operates a fund which pays Issue 3, 2015 Dialogue 23