CPSO -Consulting with the Public

Links below are to the information on this consultation. This is the first real discussion about transparency - at least it should be because they forgot to invite the public in a meaningful way to Phase 1.
See: http://www.fairassociation.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FAIR-letter-to-CPSO-regarding-transparency-August-26-2013.pdf.

http://policyconsult.cpso.on.ca/?page_id=2416

College launches conversation on transparency

The College has launched a multi-staged initiative that will see us examine our information-sharing practices and determine how we might make more information available about decisions and processes.

"The public protection work of the regulator must not only be done, it must be seen to be done," said Dr. Eric Stanton, College President. "Information needs to provide assurance to the public that practitioners are competent and that the public is safe."

There is a growing sentiment that access to more information may assist members of the public in choosing physicians, enhance accountability, and better inform any evaluation of the performance of self-regulation of the profession.

Regulatory colleges, however, deal with very sensitive information, such as complaints and medical information. And, in matters of disclosure, there is a need to tread carefully.

Council reviewed a set of draft transparency principles intended to guide discussions as we consider making more information publicly available. The principles were developed by a small group of health professional regulators, including this College. Please read more about the principles and their rationales. We are interested in your feedback.

"I want the profession to help shape the direction in which we move and feel an ownership with whatever changes are made," said College Registrar, Dr. Rocco Gerace. "I urge all of my colleagues to go onto our website and provide feedback to these draft principles. Have we struck the right balance? Are our rationales on the mark? We need members' thoughtful input, their direction on this critically important initiative."

Recently, we examined how well we communicated the existence of information that was already technically available to the public, but not readily available on the website.

Council decided that simply having the information available upon request was not enough. At its meeting, Council voted to add four categories of doctor-specific information to the College website. This includes information regarding the location of medical records, notices of hearing, hearing status of Discipline Committee proceedings, and reinstatement decisions.

Council's decision followed a review of feedback received from the circulation of the proposed by-law amendments. Some minor revisions were made to the amendments as a result of the consultation. Read more

Guest speaker Steven Lewis, a health policy consultant and adjunct professor of health policy at Simon Fraser University, told Council that keeping the status quo was no longer an option that the College – indeed any organization – could afford.

"The culture has changed irreversibly," said Mr. Lewis in a presentation entitled The Great Unveiling: How the Age of Open Information Will Affect Regulatory Bodies.

"Public trust has taken a huge hit in the last 20 years," he said, citing the economic meltdown of 2008 and various violations of the public trust by government representatives and agencies.

The result is a citizenry deeply skeptical about the motives of institutions, he said. This has led to a worldwide social movement that is demanding access to information long kept private. And if it is not willingly provided, the information will often be taken without permission. If organizations are not opening up, people will be prying open, said Mr. Lewis.

Watch for more details about this important initiative in the next issue of Dialogue.

_{Source: www.fairassociation.ca}