College Council met on Thursday, June 21, 2018. Here are some highlights:
Council Comings and Goings
Council President Dr. Pooya Hemami presented a certificate of recognition to Ms. Irene Moore, a public member who after ten years has finished her term on Council. The College is indebted to Irene for her exceptional contributions to public protection.
By-law Changes Resulting from the Protecting Patients Act, 2017
Several by-law amendments were approved by Council. These amendments flowed from the changes, enacted by the Protecting Patients Act, 2017, that came into force on May 1 of this year.
The by-laws now require, among certain other changes:
- that members must report licences or registration in another profession inside or outside of Ontario, and information related to offences, charges, or bail conditions
- that a person may apply for funding once an allegation of sexual abuse has been made (see item below)
- that the College is required to post on the public register any findings of guilt, conditions of release, or outstanding charges under the Criminal Code (Canada) or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
You can read the revised by-laws here. (PDF)
Funding Increase for Patients Needing Therapy and Counselling
Council approved a motion to increase the Special Reserve Fund for Patient Relations from $30,000 to $100,000. The increase comes as a consequence of amendments to the Health Professions Procedural Code, which changed the criteria required for a patient to apply for funding for therapy and counselling.
As of May 1, 2018, a person is eligible for funding if there is an allegation that the person was sexually abused by a health care professional (in the case of this College, an optometrist) while the person was a patient of the optometrist. The College will now be prepared to fund therapy for these patients if the need arises. While a rare occurrence, it’s prudent for the College to have funds set aside should a patient require them.
OPR Update: Contact Lens Therapy
One revised document, 6.5 Standards of Practice – Contact Lens Therapy, was approved for publication in the OPR. The revision removes the express requirement to ensure stable corneal curvature, where the standard already requires assessment of ensuring corneal integrity.
The revised OPR document will be available soon.
The next Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at the College office, 65 St. Clair Ave. E., Suite 900, Toronto. Council meetings are open to the public, and members are welcome to attend.