Public Consultation: Amendment to The Affairs of the College Bylaw

This consultation closed on February 11. View the updated Bylaw here.

CPSM is considering establishing a Board of Assessors whose role will be to assist in the process of making decisions about applications for registration.

Currently, the Registrar is responsible for considering and deciding on registration applications, which are generally administered through the Registration Department.

Applications involving more complex issues are directly reviewed and considered by the Registrar. For example, when an applicant raises significant concerns on their Certificate of Professional Conduct.

The Board of Assessors will establish an alternative means for complex applications to be considered. However, before the Board of Assessors can be created, The Affairs of the College Bylaw must establish the process for creating a Board of Assessors. Therefore, establishing a Board of Assessors requires an amendment to The Affairs of the College Bylaw.

Amending a bylaw requires a public consultation.

The public consultation runs from January 10 – February 11, 2024.

Rationale

Registration applications require a fair, efficient, and supportive process. The volume and complexity of registration applications are increasing. Public and government expectations regarding registering physicians to address physician shortages are also growing. 

The benefits of establishing a Board of Assessors includes:

• Ensuring transparency: Public members will serve on the Board supporting CPSM in meeting our mandate to act in the public’s interest.
• Timely processing of complex applications: The board will provide an additional stream for deciding registration applications to assist the Registrar.
• Advisory Responsibilities: The board will also be responsible for advising and making recommendations to the Council about registration requirements, policies, and procedures on an ongoing basis.

The Amendment

The following is the proposed amendment to be added to the Bylaw:

BOARD OF ASSESSORS

The Board of Assessors is established in accordance with section 31 of the RHPA to consider and decide on applications for registration under section 32 or 33.

Terms of reference for the Board of Assessors are set out in the Governance Policy of Council, and include the Board’s authority, purpose, composition, and the term of office for Board members. The Board of Assessors is required to operate within the terms of reference established from time to time by Council.

Members of the Board of Assessors shall be paid remuneration and travel expenses at such rates and in accordance with the Financial Management Policy of Council.

Contextual Information

The following are the proposed Terms of Reference for the Board of Assessors. We do not require feedback for these Terms of Reference, but they are being shared to provide context into how the Board of Assessors will operate:

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

Procedure and Code of Conduct:

Members of the Board of Assessors must comply with the Council and Committee Code of Conduct. With necessary modifications, Council and Committee Policies apply to the Board of Assessors as if it were a committee of Council.

 Meetings of the Board of Assessors are closed to the public.

Appointment to the Board of Assessors and composition:

Council must appoint the members of the Board of Assessors and its Chair. The Chair must be a member of Council. The Board of Assessors must have at least four (4) members, half of whom must be public representatives.

A member of the Executive Committee cannot be appointed as a member of the Board of Assessors. 

Term of office:

The term of office of all members of the Board of Assessors is one year. Members are eligible for reappointment.

Duties of the Chair:

The chair of the Board of Assessors must:

·           preside over all meetings of the Board,

·           report to the Council about the Board’s activities, either directly or by delegation as required for time to time,

·           submit a written annual report of the Board’s activities to the Council, and

·           carry out other duties as the Council may direct.

Quorum for Council Committees:

The quorum for the Board of Assessors is:

·           a majority of the voting members of the Board, at least half of whom must be public representatives, and;

·           when sitting as a panel of the Board, four members, at least two of whom are to be public representatives.

Procedural Matters Respecting the Board of Assessors

Subject to statutory requirements, the Board of Assessors must adhere to the procedural requirements of the RHPA and those established in the bylaws, as well as to this policy and other applicable registration policies established by Council or the Registrar.

The Board of Assessors may meet and conduct business in person, or by video, telephone conference, web casting, or an equivalent mechanism.

If, in the opinion of the chairperson of the Board of Assessors, a matter requires immediate attention, and if, in the opinion of the chairperson, the matter can be adequately addressed by providing information electronically or in writing, with the Board voting on a resolution included in the information by mail or by specified electronic means, the chairperson may provide such information to the members of the Board, and allow a time for response that is, in the opinion of the chairperson, sufficient to permit the Board members to respond.

In order to constitute quorum of the Board, a majority of the voting members of the committee must have voted on the resolution by specified electronic means by the time for response established by the person who called the meeting.

Authority

The Board of Assessors is established in accordance with section 31 of the RHPA to consider and decide on applications for registration under section 32 or 33.

Purpose

The functions and duties of the Board of Assessors include:

·           Upon referral by the Registrar, sitting as the full Board of Assessor or as a panel of the Board, to consider and decide on applications for registration under section 32 or 33 of the RHPA.

·           Upon approving an application for registration, to make recommendations to the Registrar respecting conditions on a certificate of practice in accordance with subsection 40(2) or 41(2) of the RHPA.

·           To advise and make recommendations to Council about CPSM’s registration requirements, policies, and procedures on an ongoing basis.   

·           To advise and make to the Executive Committee respecting approved registration forms.

Consultation Process

The draft Bylaw amendment is being distributed to the public, CPSM registrants and stakeholders for input.

Feedback from all our stakeholders is valued and contributes to holding registrants accountable to high standards of medical care. This includes all Manitobans, registrants, regulated health professions, the government, and other organizations. 

How to Submit Your Feedback

1.    Review the proposed amendment to The Affairs of the College Bylaw (located above under the heading The Amendment).

2.    Submit your comments in writing by email to: CPSMconsultation@cpsm.mb.ca

The deadline for feedback is February 11, 2024. 

We thank you in advance for your time and input.

You can find more information about our public consultation process here.