Perspectives: November 2025 Issue

Watch On-Demand: New Standards Webinar

If you missed the fourth edition of our New Standards Webinar Series, a recording is now available.

This webinar covers the fourth group of new standards, which deal with business practices:

• Advertising and Marketing Standard
• Documentation Standard
• Funding, Fees and Billing Standard

Practice Advice Manager Mary-Catherine Fraser Saxena and Policy Analyst Evguenia Ermakova explain how these standards apply in practice and answer questions from attendees.

Respiratory Virus Season Resources

As we head into respiratory virus season, here are some resources to help protect you, your patients and your colleagues:

• The College’s Infection Control Standard provides guidance and minimum expectations regarding infection control.

• The Ministry of Health’s Seasonal Respiratory Pathogens Guide sets expectations and accountabilities for health system partners to support readiness and response. It also includes the Ministry’s risk outlook for the 2025-2026 season. 

• The Ministry’s COVID-19 page provides information and resources for individuals and employers. Book a vaccine and stay up-to-date with public health advice.

• Public Health Ontario has an extensive Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) resource library including:

• Checklist for Clinical Office Practice
• Fact Sheet: How to Protect Yourself and others from Respiratory Viruses
• Best practices for healthcare settings

Refer to your local Public Health Unit for additional important guidance. Find your local Public Health Unit. 

Featured Standard: Sexual Abuse Standard

This standard came into effect on November 1, 2025. Together with the new Boundary Violations Standard, it replaces the previous Boundaries and Sexual Abuse Standard.

The Sexual Abuse Standard says that physiotherapists must not engage in behaviour that constitutes sexual abuse, in accordance with the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), 1991.

Top five highlights from the Sexual Abuse Standard:

1. Sexual Abuse is Never Acceptable

Physiotherapists must never engage in any form of sexual abuse of a patient. In the context of patient care, sexual abuse includes all forms of initiating, engaging in, or attempting to establish a sexual or intimate relationship with a patient, as well as any sexual remarks or behaviours.

2. Don’t Treat Your Spouse or Sexual Partner

Physiotherapists cannot treat someone they are in a sexual relationship with, including a spouse. The only exception is in an emergency or if the service is minor in nature. No fees can be charged in either case.

3. Ending Treatment Doesn’t End the Patient Relationship

Know that an individual remains a patient for at least one year after active treatment ends, and that the therapeutic relationship may last longer if there is an ongoing power imbalance or patient dependence. During this time, you must continue to uphold all professional boundaries, and all protections against sexual abuse remain in effect.

4. Communicate Clearly About Sensitive Treatments

If a treatment involves areas that could be perceived as sexual in nature, you must explain what will be done, why it is necessary, and how the patient’s privacy will be respected. Obtain the patient’s informed consent and encourage an open discussion of any concerns.

5. Understand and Meet Your Reporting Obligations

If you have reasonable grounds to believe another regulated health professional has sexually abused a patient, you are legally required to report it to the appropriate regulator.

Make sure you’ve reviewed the full Sexual Abuse Standard.

Rainbow Health Ontario Resource Library

Rainbow Health Ontario is a great resource you can use to deepen your knowledge and better serve 2SLGBTQ+ patients.

In addition to offering trainings for health-care workers, Rainbow Health Ontario has a large library of resources you can use in your practice.

Here are some that may be of particular interest to physiotherapists:

• Health in Focus: Racialized 2SLGBTQ Health
• Practical Strategies for More 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusive Electronic Health Records
• Culturally Safe Care Info Sheet
• Positive Space Poster (for download or purchase)