Restorative Practices Program

Successful uptake of the Standard of Practice – Practicing Medicine to Eliminate Anti-Indigenous Racism requires support.

We listened to concerns and built this program to be helpful, educational, and supportive for registrants to implement in practice.

The program falls under the Quality department because its focus is on education before discipline and quality improvement and personal growth as outcomes over punishment. For serious concerns where an educational approach is not suitable, it is our responsibility to protect the public and hold individuals accountable using other processes.

A Call to Action

This program is a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action #22, as we center our approach on Indigenous practices and teachings.

It is a program you can connect with to work through any issues or concerns that occurs in the context you’re practicing medicine.

The Restorative Practices Program (RPP):

 Falls under Quality to support the implementation of the Standard and assist with the challenges we face with racism in medical practice.

  1. Takes a non-punitive approach (where appropriate) based on Indigenous teachings and knowledge in ways of being that focus on the humanity of the individuals involved and healing harm. We want help individuals learn and grow from that experience to be better.
  2. Address care concerns and support through novel ways of resolution without discipline.
  3. Supports the Standard to help navigate and problem solve and improve through Quality improvement lens. For serious concerns where an educational approach is not suitable, it is our responsibility to protect the public and hold individuals accountable using other processes.
  4. Encourages relationship-building with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people, communities, and organizations.
  5. Supports a Restorative Justice implementation in the Complaints and Investigations processes. 

A tried and true approach 

The Restorative Practices Program is modelled after the Prescribing Practices Program (PPP), which is also housed in the Quality department and educates and supports registrants to enhance prescribing practices. It was developed to support the implementation of the opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing standards.

We know this approach works. Last year, in 85% of cases (almost 400 calls), either education or advice was provided, enhancing competency and safer prescribing practices; only 14% required further review, and only 1% required higher intervention. In a survey of registrants who engaged with the PPP, 93% agreed or strongly agreed that the education/advice they received was helpful to their practice and 100% stated they felt supported in their interaction with the program.