New legislation aimed at protecting patients from sexual misconduct and sexual abuse by health- care professionals while increasing transparency for regulator colleges is both needed and welcome, says area MLA Jason Nixon.
Introduced last week, An Act to Protect Patients will make penalties mandatory for offences by regulated health professionals.
It will also require disciplinary action to be clearly and consistently posted online, and will provide survivors with access to treatment, counselling and patient-related programs.
The MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre, Nixon says the United Conservative Party has been pushing for the legislation for some months.
“This is actually legislation that the United Conservative Party pushed for last spring inside the house,” Nixon told the Gazette. “There was a pretty horrifying case with a doctor and patient situation where the College of Physicians basically did not have the legislative and regulatory ability to deal with that doctor.
“We pushed on it a fair bit in question period because we thought it was wrong, which it was, and obviously the current government of the day has agreed with us.
“We support the legislation. The fact that we were in a situation where doctors could not be held accountable for those types of actions was extremely unfortunate. We are glad to see the NDP bringing forward this legislation.”
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says the new legislation will strengthen public protection.
“Women, and all Albertans, deserve to feel safe when they put their trust in health-care professionals,” said Hoffman. “For too long, Albertans were left in the dark about disciplinary histories, as we continued to hear disturbing stories of offending professionals being allowed to practise again.
“I’m proud our government is taking action to increase transparency, support survivors and strengthen protections for patients in Alberta.”
Debra Tomlinson is the CEO of the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services.
“Sexual abuse or sexual misconduct by a health professional is an abuse of power and control and an egregious betrayal of trust,” said Tomlinson. “This new legislation would better protect patients from health professionals who have committed sexual offences by mandating appropriate penalties, making information public about those who have offended and providing support to those who have been victimized.”
An Act to Protect Patients will enable Alberta’s regulatory colleges under the Health Professions Act to cancel practice permits in instances of sexual abuse and suspend them in instances of sexual misconduct, and will require colleges to create public websites that list health professionals’ discipline history for sexual abuse and misconduct, said Hoffman.
For his part, MLA Nixon says the new legislation should certainly not be considered an indictment of physicians in general.
“In our communities, our doctors are some of our most prominent citizens that we depend on,” said Nixon. “It’s not an attack on doctors. Any industry and any walk of life can have individuals like this, but we want to make sure that the College of Physicians has the ability to deal with it on the rare occasion that it does happen.”
“As we debate it we will see if there are any areas where we think we can strengthen it. We will support the legislation.”
