Misconduct for Medical Professionals laid out by TCIG in new amendment

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – A suite of actions that constitute misconduct for medical professionals in the Turks and Caicos has been laid out by the Government, along with a process outlined for recourse for residents who think they have been wronged via proposed amendments to the Health Professions Ordinance.

Section VIII of the ordinance which dealt with disciplinary actions has been repealed and replaced; included in that replacement is a list of 12 actions that will land medical professionals in hot water.

Drinking on the job, abandoning patients, faking certificates for vaccines and even sharing profits are actions that TCIG is warning against. The full list outlines the misconduct of a health professional as:

• If he personally abuses or misuses alcohol or other substances such that it affects or impairs the performance of his duties, or during the performance of his duties;
• If he abuses or misuses his position as a health professional;
• If he conducts himself in an indecent or violent behavior;
• For misconduct in research endeavors;
• If he willfully betrays a professional confidence;
• If he abandons a patient in danger without sufficient cause, and without giving him an opportunity to retain the services of another health professional;
• Knowingly gives a false certificate respecting birth, death, notice of disease, state of health, vaccination or disinfection or respecting any matter relating to life, health, or accident insurance;
• Divides with another person, who is not a partner, any fees or profits resulting from consultations or surgical operations, without the patient’s knowledge and consent;
• Impersonates another health professional;
• Employs in connection with his professional practice an assistant who is not registered or licensed under this Ordinance, or permits a person who is not registered or licensed under this Ordinance to attend or treat patients
• Directly or indirectly holds himself out to the public as a specialist or as being specially qualified in any particular branch of medicine and who has not taken a special course in such branch and received a certificate of specialty therein which is recognized by a council;
• Does or fails to do any act or thing, the doing of which or the failure to do which a council considers to be unprofessional or discreditable

If a resident alleges malpractice or makes a complaint against a medical health professional, the proposed amendments now require that person to provide in writing an affidavit detailing the alleged offense and his reasons for believing it true.

The authorities then have to decide whether the complaint is genuine and then proceed to censure, reprimand the health professional, suspend their license, or strike them from the register of licensed registered health professionals via hearing.