MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Colleagues
W
Carol Leet, MD
College President
photo: D.W. Dorken
When dealing with
sexual abuse by
physicians, the
College’s foremost
responsibility is
to protect and
empower patients.
hen dealing with sexual
abuse by physicians,
the College’s foremost
responsibility is to protect and
empower patients. We’ve made
significant efforts over the last two
decades to support victims of sexual
abuse, and to investigate, prosecute
and discipline doctors who have
violated the trust of their patients.
But can more be done to
strengthen our ability to better protect patients? That is what Council
certainly wants to investigate. And
at our meeting last December,
we approved an important initiative with respect to sexual abuse.
Specifically, we decided to initiate
a review – one with a dual focus on
our own processes and practices,
and on the sexual abuse provisions
in our governing legislation – to
determine how to improve support
and protections for patients.
Since December, a number of
steps have been taken to support
the two main components of the
College’s initiative. At its meeting in
March, Council began by discussing
some of the early opportunities for
change that have been identified.
Some proposed changes include:
enhancing the accessibility of
information and resources on sexual
abuse on our website; developing
a framework for the training and
education of medical students, physicians, College staff and our committees about issues of sexual abuse;
and enhancing the composition of
ICRC panels, while improving the
processes involved in penalty and
settlement instructions.
We will continue to review our
processes as part of this ongoing
initiative.
In regard to reviewing the legislative framework, some of the issues
flagged for possible consideration
include: the definition of sexual
abuse; the mandatory revocation
provisions; disclosure obligations
by defense counsel; patient access
to, and usage of, the therapy fund,
the use of gender-based restrictions;
and, confidentiality provisions and
the extent to which they permit
information sharing with the police.
Issue 1, 2015 Dialogue
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2015-03-19 11:18 AM