Dialogue Volume 11 Issue 2 2015 | Page 27

TRAnsparency information transparency accountability public’s right-to-know More information to be posted on the public register Council approves posting Cautions-in-Person, SCERPs C ouncil approved a range of by-laws that will see more information put on the public register. The three-year Transparency Initiative was born of a growing recognition that access to more information may assist the public in choosing a health-care professional, enhance regulatory accountability and better inform any evaluation of the performance of professional regulation. The new information to be posted includes criminal charges, cautionsin-person, specified continuing education or remediation program (SCERPs) orders, discipline findings in other jurisdictions, and licences in other jurisdictions. “These by-laws represent an important and fundamental change for both the public and the medical profession,” said Dr. Carol Leet, College President. “As such, we took a deliberately principled approach, carefully considering transparency and fairness,” she said. The College was joined in this Transparency Initiative by the colleges that govern dentists, pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, and opticians. Together we formed a group – the Advisory Group for Regulatory Excellence (AGRE) – to develop recommendations for making categories of information about all our members available to the public; and improve information provided to the public about colleges more generally. “In order for the public to trust that the system works, we need to demonstrate that the system works,” said Dr. Rocco Gerace, College Registrar. “We need to show value to the public which we serve. After all, we live in a new era of expectations and the practices of health-care regulators must reflect this reality,” he said. AGRE considered the degree of risk posed to patients as the measure in determining which outcome ordered by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) should be posted on the public register; it was decided that the more serious the ICRC outcome, the more important that the information be made public. Timeline of New Information Added to the CPSO Public Register 2013 •  edical Records Location M • Notices of Hearing • Hearing Status • Reinstatement Decisions •  utcome/Status of Out-ofO Hospital Premises Inspections 2014 • Criminal Convictions • Bail Conditions • Illegal Practitioners 2015 • Criminal Charges • Cautions-in-Person •  CERPs (specified continuing S education or remediation program) orders •  icences and Discipline L Findings – Other Jurisdictions Issue 2, 2015 Dialogue 27