Patient Relations
The Patient Relations Committee develops measures for preventing or dealing with the sexual abuse of patients/clients. These include providing:
- education to kinesiologists
- guidelines for the conduct of kinesiologists with their patients/clients
- training for College staff
- information to the public
The Patient Relations Committee also administers the funding for therapy for victims of sexual abuse.
In December 2016 the Ontario government introduced Bill 87, the Protecting Patients Act. The proposed changes will give colleges more power to deal with matters of sexual abuse. The Patient Relations Committee works proactively to prevent sexual abuse by advising the College on resources needed by kinesiologists to better understand professional boundaries and what constitutes sexual abuse. The Committee reviews information made available to the public to ensure it is relevant and easily understood. The Committee also identifies additional ways that the College can prevent sexual abuse, provide support to victims and provide education to kinesiologists.
The Committee met in March 2017 to review Bill 87 and directed that a strategic plan be developed for how the College will implement any legislative changes or make progress in other areas not affected by the new legislation. The Committee reviewed changes to the Practice Standard- Clinical Education/Supervision/Delegation and added a new section on kinesiologists’ responsibility to ensure that those working under them maintain appropriate boundaries. The Committee also proposed to rename the standard to the Practice Standard- Supervision and Education of Students and Support Personnel.