Sexual abuse initiative
Protecting
Patients
Proposing measures to better
protect and support patients
from physician sexual abuse
photo: masterfile
C
ouncil has proposed a
number of changes –
both to the legislation
which governs us, and
to our own processes and practices
– aimed at better protecting and
supporting Ontario patients from
physician sexual abuse.
The proposed changes stem from
an initiative to ensure that we are
doing all that we can to support
and protect patients from physician
sexual abuse.
“When we set out to look for
ways to better protect and support patients, we made it clear that
everything was on the table for
discussion,” said Dr. Carol Leet,
College President. “Sexual abuse
of patients is an issue we take very
seriously and it is behaviour that
won’t be tolerated,” she said.
What are we proposing? We are
recommending changes to our
governing legislation. We are looking for opportunities to expand the
education of trainees, physicians,
College staff, and our committee
members. We are examining our own processes to
determine how to optimize our committee
decision-making. We
are also considering the
effectiveness and appropriateness of our practice of
imposing gender-based restrictions on a physician’s
certificate of registration.
Council’s conversation began
with approval of an external consultation on draft principles that
articulate the College’s approach to
sexual abuse matters. The content is
informed by the College’s mandate,
the principles set out in the College’s current policy on Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries and
Preventing Sexual Abuse, and
previous Council discussions.
Sexual abuse investigations
represent 2% of the College’s total
investigations each year. That figure
has been constant for 10 years.
Please read the following pages
for more details.
Read what we are doing
Drafting Principles to Guide
our Approach pg. 20
Proposing legislative
change pg. 21
I
mproving Processes and
Practices pg. 24
Improving Patient Support
and Access pg. 25
Exploring Opportunities
for Education and Training
pg. 25
Issue 2, 2015 Dialogue
19