Protecting, Supporting Patients from
Sexual Abuse
There are no circumstances in which sexual activity between
physicians and their patients is acceptable.
At the end of 2014, the College announced its plan to find ways
to better protect and support patients who have been sexually
abused by their physicians. The plan will include recommendations
for change to the sexual abuse provisions of the Regulated Health
Professions Act as well as an evaluation of our own processes to ensure
best practices in sexual abuse investigations and prosecutions.
Sexual abuse investigations represent 2% of the College’s total
investigations each year. That figure has been constant for 10 years.
“This College takes sexual abuse by physicians very seriously. We
want to ensure that we are able to empower patients to come forward, and protect and support them when they do,” said Dr. Carol
Leet, incoming president at the December 2014 Council meeting.
It has been more than 20 years since the RHPA was passed, together with its provisions for mandatory revocation of a physician’s
certificate of registration for certain acts of sexual abuse. In light of
the passage of time, Council decided we needed to look at our governing legislation with a new lens and decide whether this legislation
is still the best way to address physician sexual abuse or whether
changes are required.
Council has made it clear that everything will be on the table for
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COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF ONTARIO