DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
required under section 85.7 of the Code, and shall
post an irrevocable letter of credit or other security
acceptable to the College to guarantee payment in
the amount of $16,060; and Dr. Anastasio pay costs
to the College in the amount of $5,000.
For complete details of the Order, please see the
full decision at www.cpso.on.ca. Select Find a Doctor
and enter the doctor’s name.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Dr. Anastasio waived
his right to an appeal and the Committee administered
the public reprimand.
DR. CHRISTOPHER PAUL BRAND
PRACTICE LOCATION: Brechin
AREA OF PRACTICE: Family Medicine
HEARING INFORMATION: Agreed Statement of Facts,
Admission, Joint Submission on Penalty
On October 18, 2016, the Discipline Committee
found that Dr. Brand committed an act of profes-
sional misconduct, in that he has engaged in an act
or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that,
having regard to all the circumstances, would reason-
ably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishon-
ourable, or unprofessional.
Dr. Brand had admitted to the allegation.
Dr. Brand was the medical director of the Leacock
Care Centre, a Long-Term Care Home licensed by
the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care at the
time of the incident described below.
One of the residents of the Centre, Patient A, was
a man in his 70s with severe developmental delays
since childhood and many serious behavioural chal-
lenges. Patient A is mostly nonverbal and has been
in care for many years. Patient A often engaged in
aggressive behaviour. This behaviour was described
as being akin to “temper tantrums.” During these
“tantrums,” he was observed to throw and bang on
objects, throw himself on the floor, scream, yell and
cry, and hit or kick out around him.
On a date in November 2014, staff had been at-
tempting to cut Patient A’s beard, and Patient A
refused. Staff asked Dr. Brand to assist because he
had trimmed Patient A’s beard before. When Dr.
Brand approached, Patient A dropped to the floor
and began kicking. Dr. Brand grabbed Patient A’s
legs or feet and pulled him on the floor, up the hall
to a conference room, which had previously been set
aside as Patient A’s bedroom.
Neither Dr. Brand nor Patient A suffered any inju-
ries in this incident.
At the time of the incident, residents were attend-
ing for breakfast and other activities in the area.
The incident was observed by at least three staff
members, including a nurse, as well as a compliance
officer from the MOHLTC who happened to be in
the building. The nurse who observed the incident
asked Dr. Brand to stop dragging the resident by his
feet. At that point, Dr. Brand had reached the door
of the conference room. Dr. Brand was heard stating
to Patient A, “you don’t want to get your hair cut,”
as he pulled Patient A towards the conference room.
Shortly after, Patient A exited the conference room,
followed by Dr. Brand, who was holding hair clippers
and an extension cord. Dr. Brand was heard to say,
“guess the resident doesn’t want his hair cut then.”
Shortly after the incident took place, the Admin-
istrator of the Centre informed Dr. Brand that this
would not be tolerated. Dr. Brand replied by indi-
cating that he had been Patient A’s doctor for many
years. Very soon after, however, Dr. Brand acknowl-
edged to the Administrator of the Centre that he
should not have dragged Patient A and that it was an
error in judgment. He stated that, after Patient A fell
to the floor, Patient A started kicking, and for that
reason Dr. Brand grabbed his foot, “so he didn’t hurt
anyone or me.” At the time, Dr. Brand had recently
undergone an abdominal surgery, and was concerned
that Patient A’s kicking might injure Dr. Brand. He
therefore decided to restrain Patient A’s feet and
return him to his room.
Dr. Brand was terminated by the Leacock Care
Centre on December 2, 2014.
Full decisions are available online at www.cpso.on.ca.
Select Doctor Search and enter the doctor’s name.
ISSUE 4, 2017 DIALOGUE
65