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CMLTO website issues

25 July 2018

Please note that the latest version of the Chrome browser now indicates that cmlto.com is not a secure site. This site does not collect and manage user data. The CMLTO websites to which users do provide personal information (for application and registration purposes) are secure. The CMLTO is working on correcting the issue. Thank you for your patience.

Updated Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to take effect in 2019

19 July 2018

As part of the CMLTO Council’s regular review of its policies and foundational documents, the CMLTO Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics were scheduled for review at the September 2017 Council meeting.

Leading up to Council review, CMLTO worked with the members of the Canadian Alliance of Medical Laboratory Professional Regulators (CAMLPR) from 2013 to 2016 to draft a national Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics for medical laboratory technologists.


At its September 25, 2017 meeting, CMLTO Council approved the updated Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, based on the documents drafted by CAMLPR.


The updated CMLTO Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics will take effect January 1, 2019.


The updated CMLTO Standards of Practice can be found here.

The updated CMLTO Code of Ethics can be found here.

MLTs will need to be aware of the professional obligations contained within the updated CMLTO Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. Furthermore, the CMLTO Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is based on the Standards of Practice, and as such, modifications will need to be made to the various components of the QAP to align with the new document.


If you have any questions about the updated CMLTO Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics at any time, please email memberrelations@cmlto.com.

CMLTO registration class, employment status and professional obligations

13 July 2018

All MLTs are reminded that their employment status does not have an effect on their professional obligations to meet the CMLTO Quality Assurance Program (QAP) requirements.
There are two classes of CMLTO member registration:
  • Practising – Members have met all the registration requirements (education, examination, active engagement in the profession) and are able to practise without restriction (except those members who are subject to terms, conditions, and limitations on their certificate of registration).
  • Non-practising – Members have met the CMLTO registration requirements, but are not permitted to practise.
All CMLTO members who hold a Practising certificate of registration must fulfill their professional obligations regardless of their employment status, including meeting the QAP requirements. Practising members are obligated to complete 30 hours of professional development annually, maintain a complete Professional Portfolio, and participate in audits if selected. Practising members who are unemployed or who take parental, sick, or compassionate leave from their jobs must fulfill their professional obligations, including completing the QAP requirements even though they are not working.
Examples:
  • A member taking parental leave who maintains Practising registration is required to complete 30 hours of professional development despite not working.
  • A member taking a sick leave who maintains Practising registration may be randomly selected to take part in a QAP audit.
Practising members who anticipate a change in employment status may choose to change their registration class to Non-practising with a view to returning to Practising in the future. Please note that certain criteria must be met in order to change classes from Non-practising to Practising. You can find more information by clicking here.
Examples:
  • A Practising member taking a parental leave chooses to change to Non-practising because she or he will not be working during the leave period.
  • A Practising member is moving out of Ontario for two years so chooses to change to Non-practising class.
In both of these cases, the member will not be required to meet QAP requirements, until they change their registration class back to Practising. Members who resign or retire from their employment, remain as Practising members until they notify the College of their intention to resign as a CMLTO member. As long as they maintain their Practising registration class, they must fulfill their professional obligations.
Failure to complete the annual registration renewal process does not constitute resigning from the College.
Example:
  • Members who cease working as MLTs and do not renew their registration or resign their membership will be suspended due to non-payment of fees.
The CMLTO annually publishes a list of those suspended for non-payment, and suspensions are noted in the Public Register. Contact CMLTO Registration for more information about registration classes by calling 416.861.9605 or 1.800.323.9672 (toll-free in Canada), extension 1; or emailing registration@cmlto.com.

Click here
to read or download a PDF which outlines the registration classes’ requirements and restrictions.

Mandatory reporting clarifications

13 July 2018

Employers, facilities and MLTs have a number of mandatory reporting obligations set out in the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). The Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry established on August 1, 2017, following Elizabeth Wettlaufer’s conviction for offences she committed while working as a registered nurse in Long-Term Care Homes, has put employer and facility reporting obligations in the news. The CMLTO has received many questions as a result of this media coverage. Employers, facilities, and MLTs are seeking clarification about what must be reported when and whether these obligations are affected in any way by union processes.

Employers

Every person, other than a patient, who employs or offers privileges to an MLT or associates in partnership or otherwise with an MLT for the purpose of offering health services, must file a report with the College if they:
  • terminate an MLT’s employment
  • revoke, suspend, or imposes restrictions on the privileges of an MLT
  • dissolve a partnership, a health profession corporation, or association with an MLT
for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity.

A report must also be filed with the CMLTO if an MLT resigns, or voluntarily relinquishes or restricts their privileges or practice if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the resignation, relinquishment, or restriction is related to the member’s professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity, or if it takes place during the course of, or as a result of, an investigation conducted into allegations related to professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity.

Employers must file these reports within 30 days.

Facilities

A person who operates a facility where one or more MLTs practise must file a report if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that an MLT who practises at the facility is incompetent, incapacitated, or has sexually abused a patient.

Facilities must file theses reports within 30 days unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that the MLT will continue to sexually abuse the patient or will sexually abuse other patients, or that the MLT’s incompetence or the incapacity is likely to expose a patient to harm or injury and there is urgent need for intervention, in which case the report must be filed immediately.

MLTs

MLTs must file a report if they have reasonable grounds, obtained in the course of practising the profession, to believe that another MLT or a member of a different College has sexually abused a patient. The report must be filed within 30 days unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that the MLT or other regulated health professional will continue to sexually abuse the patient or will sexually abuse other patients, in which case the report must be filed immediately. The report should not contain the patient’s name unless the MLT has the patient’s written permission to do so.

Members are also required to file a self-report to the CMLTO whenever they:
  • have been found guilty of an offence
  • have a finding of professional negligence or malpractice made against them
  • are a member of another body that governs a profession inside or outside of Ontario
  • have a finding of professional misconduct or incompetence made against them by another body that governs a profession inside or outside of Ontario
  • have been charged with an offence, and the report shall include information about every bail condition or other restriction imposed on, or agreed to, by the member in connection with the charge.
All self-reports must be made as soon as reasonably feasible.
Below are some of the most frequently asked question regarding mandatory reports.

What if the MLT grieves the discipline imposed through their union?

Grievances filed by MLTs regarding the discipline imposed by employers do not affect an employer’s obligation to make the report within the required time period. The CMLTO’s processes are separate and distinct from the processes under a collective bargaining agreement. If the employer is aware that a grievance has been filed, this information can be included in the report.

What happens once a mandatory report is filed?

All mandatory reports are acknowledged and any additional information required is requested from the reporting party. If the mandatory report is from an employer or facility, the MLT who is the subject of the mandatory report is advised of the report and given an opportunity to make submissions regarding the report. All of the information received is considered by the Registrar & CEO who determines the next steps, if any.

What are the possible outcomes from a mandatory report?

In the case of reports from employers or facilities, the Registrar & CEO may do any of the following:
  • Conclude the matter with no further action.
  • Issue reminders or recommendations to the MLT.
  • Ask the MLT to sign an appropriate Acknowledgment & Undertaking.
  • Request the Inquiries, Complaints & Report Committee (ICRC) to approve the appointment of an investigator to conduct an investigation. The report from a completed investigation is dealt with by the ICRC
When an MLT self-reports a charge, bail conditions, a finding of guilt for an offence, registration in another jurisdiction, or findings of professional misconduct, incompetence or professional negligence, the RHPA requires that this information be recorded on the MLT’s Public Register profile.

Who can I contact if I have more questions about mandatory reports?

For more information about mandatory reports, please contact our Professional Conduct department at professionalconduct@cmlto.com

Regulation changes: Protecting Patients Act, 2017, and the RHPA

13 July 2018

As of May 1, 2018, new sections of the Protecting Patients Act, 2017 (Bill 87), which amend the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), and three new regulations under the RHPA came into effect.

Definition of a patient

The new regulation expands the definition of a patient, for the purposes of sexual abuse. A patient includes any one of the following:
  • a person who received healthcare services from the member and payment is charged or received
  • an entry is made by the member to the health record for the person
  • the person has provided consent to a healthcare service recommended by the member
  • the member prescribed a drug for the person.
In other words, if any of the above interactions takes place between an individual and an MLT, then that individual would be considered, in the context of sexual abuse allegations, to be a patient. The regulation also establishes a minimum time period of one year after the end of a patient-professional relationship during which a sexual relationship between professionals and former patients are prohibited.

An exception to this definition applies only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
  • there is, at the time the professional provides the healthcare services, an existing sexual relationship between the individual and the professional
  • the individual received a healthcare service from the professional in an emergency situation or in circumstances where the service is minor in nature
  • the professional has taken reasonable steps to transfer the care of the individual to another professional or there is no reasonable opportunity to transfer care to another member.
Mandatory reporting
All members are required to report criminal charges and release restriction including bail conditions or other restriction imposed on the member as soon as possible to the CMLTO.

Requirements to post on the public register

Colleges are now required to report certain information about their members on the Public Register, including:
  1. If there has been a finding of guilt made against a member under the Criminal Code or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and certain information related to it.
  2. Any currently existing conditions of release following a charge for an offence under the Criminal Code or Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
  3. If a professional has been charged with an offence under the Criminal Code or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the charge is outstanding.
  4. If a member has been the subject of a disciplinary finding by another regulatory or licensing authority in any jurisdiction.
  5. If a member is currently licensed or registered to practise another profession in Ontario or a profession in another jurisdiction.
Expansion of mandatory revocation provisions
The new regulation expands the mandatory revocation provision to include situations when a member has been found guilty of any of the following offences:
151 – Sexual interference
152 – Invitation to sexual touching
153 - Sexual exploitation
153.1 – Sexual exploitation of a person with a disability
160 (3) – Bestiality in the presence of, or by a child
162 – Voyeurism
162.1 – Publication, etc., of an intimate image without consent
163.1 – Child pornography
170 – Parent or guardian procuring sexual activity
171.1 – Making sexually explicit material available to a child
172.1 – Luring a child
172.2 – Agreement or arrangement – sexual offence against a child
271 – Sexual assault
272 – Sexual assault with a weapon, threats to a third party or causing bodily harm
273 – Aggravated sexual assault.
If a member has been found guilty of any of the above-noted criminal offences, their Certificate of Registration must be revoked by a panel of the Discipline Committee.

Legislation
Protection Patients Act, 2017. Schedule 1, s 3, 4(3), 5 and Schedule 5, s. 5(1), (7), 6, 7, 18, 26, 27, 28, 31.
Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. Schedule 2, Health Professions Procedural Code. Subsection 1 (6), 23(2) 51 (5.2) (a).

Volunteer opportunity for Practising MLTs

04 July 2018

The CMLTO is looking for Practising members in good standing to volunteer as Competence Evaluation Assessors.
For more information about the opportunity and how to apply, click here.

Volunteer opportunity: Competence Evaluation Assessors

04 July 2018

Under the Medical Laboratory Technology Act, 1991 the CMLTO Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is composed of three components, one of which is the Competence Evaluation (CE). The CE assessment determines if a member possesses the knowledge, skill, and judgment necessary to meet the standards of practice of the profession. The CE consists of 15 questions verbally administered and answered, using a combination of behavioural-based and situational-based questions.

CE Assessors are appointed by the CMLTO Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) as described by Section 81 of the Health Professions Procedural Code under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.

CMLTO is currently looking for MLTs that meet the following requirements to be considered as CE Assessors:
  • Practising member in good standing with the CMLTO
  • minimum of five years of current experience as an MLT
  • cannot be a current member of the CMLTO Council or a Non-Council Committee member
  • recognizes and declares any potential conflict of interest
  • complies with the requirements and responsibilities outlined in the CMLTO Confidentiality form.
Although it is anticipated that the number of CE assessments will be very low, the CMLTO needs to develop a pool of Assessors for when the need arises to conduct a CE assessment. Training will be provided to all CE Assessors.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit the CE Assessor Expression of Interest form found here (PDF), along with your professional resume/curriculum vitae, by email to qualityassurance@cmlto.com.

PLI audit reminder

28 June 2018

Members who were randomly selected and notified to provide proof of professional liability insurance (PLI) must complete the online annual audit by Friday, July 6, 2018, 11:59 pm EST. Please email the Registration department at registration@cmlto.com if you have any questions.

CMLTO closed for Canada Day

25 June 2018

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The CMLTO office will be closed on July 2, 2018, in observance of the Canada Day statutory holiday. Regular office hours resume at 8:30 am on July 3rd.

Reminder: public engagement survey

25 June 2018

The CMLTO Council is embarking on a public engagement project to collect feedback and opinions via an online survey.

The Council is interested in learning public opinions about CMLTO’s efforts to build public confidence, ensure accountable professionals, and contribute to health system transformation. 

The responses received will be used to inform the Council’s policy work and to ensure the College is meeting its strategic goals to protect the public. 

The Council invites Ontarians to take the survey by clicking here, and to share the link (https://ca.research.net/r/CMLTO_Council_Survey) widely.