Melanie Atkinson

The registrant was found to have committed professional misconduct by sexually abusing a patient through sexual comments and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct by being untruthful to the patient and misleading in clinical records.

At the penalty hearing, the Tribunal ordered a reprimand, an eight-month suspension, completion of an ethics course, and a period of supervision.

The Tribunal also ordered the registrant to pay $60,000 in costs to the College, rejecting the College's request for $100,000 due to divided success on the allegations.

The College alleged that the registrant, a chiropodist, engaged in sexual abuse and professional misconduct during a patient appointment.

The Tribunal found that the registrant sexually abused the patient by making inappropriate sexual comments about blow jobs and escorts during a shockwave therapy treatment.

However, the Tribunal dismissed the allegation of sexual touching, finding the physical contact was clinically appropriate for treating Achilles pain.

The Tribunal also found the registrant engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct by lying to the patient about a non-existent upper management addressing her complaint and by creating misleading clinical records suggesting she would return for further treatment.

The registrant, a chiropodist, faced allegations of professional misconduct for failing to properly supervise students, permitting them to treat patients and dispense orthotics contrary to College standards, and submitting inaccurate documentation to an insurance company.

The matter proceeded on an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Penalty.

The Tribunal found the registrant engaged in professional misconduct and ordered a reprimand, a seven-month suspension (with two months remitted upon completion of remedial work), practice restrictions, supervision, and $20,000 in costs.

The College of Chiropodists of Ontario alleged that the registrant committed professional misconduct by participating in an arrangement where patients received free shoes if they purchased orthotics.

The registrant admitted to failing to perform complete assessments, using improper casting techniques, and submitting false or misleading records to an insurance company.

Proceeding on an Agreed Statement of Facts and Joint Submission on Penalty, the Discipline Tribunal found the misconduct proven.

The Tribunal accepted the joint submission and ordered a reprimand, a 10-month suspension, practice restrictions, and $10,000 in costs.

The Member faced allegations of professional misconduct related to providing inappropriate incentives (shoe credits) to patients for purchasing orthotics, submitting misleading insurance claims, and failing to maintain adequate patient records.

The Member admitted to the allegations and agreed to a joint submission on penalty.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission, finding the Member engaged in professional misconduct.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, an 8-month suspension (with 2 months remitted upon completing ethics and records courses), practice restrictions, supervision, and $9,000 in costs.

The Member faced allegations of professional misconduct related to providing inappropriate incentives (shoe credits) to patients for purchasing orthotics, submitting misleading insurance claims, and failing to maintain adequate patient records.

The Member admitted to the allegations and agreed to a joint submission on penalty.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission, finding the Member engaged in professional misconduct.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, an 8-month suspension (with 2 months remitted upon completing ethics and records courses), practice restrictions, supervision, and $9,000 in costs.

The College of Chiropodists of Ontario brought a motion for an order permanently staying the discipline proceedings against the respondent member.

The member consented to the order and signed an undertaking to permanently resign his registration and never reapply.

The Discipline Committee found that resolving the proceeding by way of resignation and an undertaking not to reapply, rather than a full hearing, was consistent with the College's mandate to protect the public interest.

The motion was granted, the proceedings were permanently stayed, and the member was ordered to pay costs of $25,000 to the College.

The College of Chiropodists of Ontario brought a motion for an order permanently staying the discipline proceedings against the respondent member.

The member consented to the order and signed an undertaking to permanently resign his registration and never reapply.

The Discipline Committee found that resolving the proceeding by way of resignation and an undertaking not to reapply, rather than a full hearing, was consistent with the College's mandate to protect the public interest.

The motion was granted, the proceedings were permanently stayed, and the member was ordered to pay costs of $25,000 to the College.