DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
REASONS FOR PENALTY
The Committee carefully considered the joint sub-
mission and accepted the proposed order regarding
penalty and costs as appropriate in the circumstances
of this case. It included a two-month suspension, the
imposition of terms and conditions on Dr. Brand’s
certificate of registration requiring instruction on
medical ethics, professional behaviour and managing
difficult patients, and payment of the costs of a one-
day hearing.
It was a mitigating factor that, in admitting his
misconduct, Dr. Brand recognized that his behav-
iour was unacceptable and an error in judgment.
Furthermore, he was cooperative with the College
investigation and the hearing and showed full insight
into his behaviour. In admitting his misconduct, he
spared witnesses the difficulty of testifying and saved
the College time and expense of conducting a full
contested hearing.
It was an aggravating factor that Patient A was an
extremely vulnerable patient, in that he was elderly,
institutionalized, and handicapped with little or no
family support.
The two-month suspension and reprimand is ap-
propriate in that its sends a very strong message
that the Committee will not condone this type of
treatment of a patient. It also serves to ensure public
confidence in the profession’s ability to self-regulate
in the public interest.
It furt