Preventing and Addressing Sexual Abuse of Patients April 2015 | Page 3

Foreward
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO, the College) has a longstanding
interest in and commitment to preventing and dealing with sexual abuse of patients by
physicians.
In early December 2014, the College’s governing Council approved an initiative with
respect to sexual abuse, which includes a review of the legislative provisions in the
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and College processes regarding sexual
abuse, to ensure we are doing all that we can to support and protect patients from being
sexually abused by physicians.
Concurrently, in mid-December 2014, the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
announced the establishment of a Task Force to review the legislative provisions in the
RHPA relating to sexual abuse. The Task Force will provide advice and recommendations to
the Minister on how to strengthen the legislation to reinforce the province’s zero tolerance
policy regarding sexual abuse of patients by regulated health professionals.
The College’s initiative with respect to sexual abuse will identify opportunities to be
pursued to enhance and improve processes to prevent and deal with sexual abuse
by physicians. It also reaffirms the College’s continuing dedication to supporting and
protecting patients from sexual abuse by physicians, and will add to the positive changes
that have already occurred since the release of the 1991 Task Force Report commissioned
by the College. Work from the current initiative will also help to inform our submissions to
the Minister’s Task Force in terms of potential legislative change the Government may wish
to pursue.
The College’s Council will consider its initiative at each meeting in 2015, following which
progress and decisions will be communicated.

Measures taken by the CPSO

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