Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee
The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee, often called the ICRC, is the statutory Committee that reviews concerns that come to the College about physiotherapists. These concerns come from the public (patients and families), other physiotherapists, other health care professionals or a facility. Concerns can come in the form of complaints, mandatory reports (duty to report incidents) or other information that prompts the Registrar/CEO to launch an inquiry.
The Committee screens and reviews information about the concerns and decides whether any action should be taken related to concerns (allegations) that a physiotherapist committed an act of professional misconduct or is incompetent. Sometimes the Committee may have to consider whether a physiotherapist’s health is affecting their ability to practice safely and competently.
The Committee can make a number of different decisions, all of which are outlined in the Health Professions Procedural Code, Schedule 2 of the Regulated Health Professions Act.
See the Committee's Decision Making Flowchart
Member Commitment
The Committee meets about nine times a year for full-day meetings that are held at the College office in Toronto. On occasion, meetings may be held by teleconference. Committee members typically require a half to a full day to prepare for each of these meetings. Members are compensated for meeting and preparation time and additional expenses.
The ICRC is made up of six members and includes physiotherapists and a member of the public.
Discipline Committee
The Discipline Committee is the statutory Committee that holds public hearings during which they consider serious allegations regarding a physiotherapist’s practice. Cases are referred to the Discipline Committee by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC).
Discipline hearings are legal proceedings open to the public. The results are in most cases made available on the College’s website and the online Public Register.
Discipline Committee Rules of Procedure
Member Commitment
It is challenging to estimate how many hearings there will be each year and how long each hearing will last. In the past, the College has held two to four Discipline hearings per year and hearings can be one day in length or span over many days.
This statutory Committee is made up of 10 members and includes physiotherapists and members of the public. A panel of no more than five members of the Committee hears each case.
Discipline hearings are held at the College office in Toronto.
Fitness to Practise Committee
The Fitness to Practise Committee’s role is to hold hearings related to specific allegations about a physiotherapist’s capacity to practice. This means that a physiotherapist may be too sick to practice safely and the public is at risk.
A health inquiry panel will obtain information about this matter and if, at the conclusion of their inquiries they believe that a physiotherapist may be incapacitated (suffering from a physical or mental condition that makes it necessary that the physiotherapist’s certificate of registration be subject to terms, conditions or limitations or that the physiotherapist no longer be permitted to practice to protect the public), the panel can refer the physiotherapist to the Fitness to Practise Committee for a hearing.
Fitness to Practise hearings are legal proceedings. Unlike Discipline hearings, Fitness to Practise hearings are closed to the public because of the sensitive nature of the information disclosed.
Member Commitment
It is difficult to estimate the number of hearings that will take place in a year and the amount of time required for each. Fitness to Practise hearings are quite rare. The College has only held two such hearings in its history.
This statutory Committee consists of 10 members and includes physiotherapists and members of the public.
Registration Committee
Applications that come to the College that may not meet registration requirements are referred on to the Registration Committee. The Committee must decide whether to issue registration in these cases. This statutory committee also monitors entry to practice issues in the provincial, national and international environments and raises important issues to the Board.
The Committee makes decisions based on a number of factors. The Good Character & Reputation Decision-Making Guidelines is one of the factors considered.
Member Commitment
The Registration Committee meets eight to nine times per year for one to two hour meetings generally held by teleconference. There is at least one in-person, full-day meeting held at the Toronto offices. Preparation time for these meeting is generally one to two hours for each meeting. Council members are compensated for both meeting and preparation time.
The Registration Committee is made up of one professional Board Director, two Public Board Directors, one Academic Board Director and one member who is a physiotherapist registered with the College.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee’s role is to provide leadership to the Board, promote governance excellence and facilitate the effective functioning of the College. In certain circumstances, the Executive Committee can act on behalf of the Board regarding matters that require immediate attention between Board meetings.
Member Commitment
This statutory Committee meets about four times a year, for full-day meetings that are held at the College’s offices in Toronto and on occasionally by teleconference. Each meeting requires one day of preparation.
The Committee is made up of five members who include the Board Chair (who automatically becomes the Committee Chair), the Board Vice-Chair, up to two Public Board Directors and up to three Professional Board Directors.
Quality Assurance Committee
The Quality Assurance Committee’s role is to develop, implement and administer the Quality Assurance program. This statutory Committee supports physiotherapists in continually improving their skills and knowledge.
Member Commitment
The Quality Assurance Committee is made up of two Professional Board Directors, two public Public Board Directors and two other Committee members.
The Committee usually meets four to six times a year for full-day meetings at the College office in Toronto. On occasion they meet by teleconference. Each meeting requires between a half-day and a full day of preparation time. Committee members are compensated for their meeting and preparation time.
Patient Relations Committee
The role of the Patient Relations Committee is to advise the Board with respect to the patient relations program and to administer the program to provide funding for therapy and counseling.
Member Commitment
The statutory Committee meets only if there is an application for funding or if there is a special project. The Committee is made up of two Professional Board Directors, one Public Board Director and one member who is a physiotherapist registered with the College.
Risk, Audit and Finance Committee (Non-Statutory)
The Risk, Audit and Finance Committee is responsible for providing financial oversight of the College. This non-statutory Committee meets with the auditors about the audit plan, to review the quarterly and audited annual financial statements, to review the annual budget, to assess the performance of the external auditors and to make recommendations about finances to the Board.
Member Commitment
The Committee generally meets quarterly for a short teleconference with additional meetings related to the audit and budget. Preparation is about one hour per meeting. The only meeting held at the College office in Toronto is the half-day for budget review in January.
The Committee is made up of at least one Professional Board Director and two Public Board Directors.