College of Physicians and Surgeons suspends Mattawa doctor

Following a lengthy investigation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario a Mattawa doctor has had his licence to practice medicine suspended and must pay a stiff fine.

At a disciplinary hearing in Toronto on October 30th the committee revoked Dr. Clint Anthony Redhead’s certificate of registration for five months which began at 11:59 pm October 31st and was ordered to pay $25,000.

The punishment was the final phase of an investigation, which took place in 2011 and 2012, that found Redhead guilty of an act of professional misconduct.

Here is the Summary as it appears on the college's website:

On May 15, 2013, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Clint Anthony Redhead committed an act of professional misconduct, in that he engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.

The Committee found that it was inappropriate that Dr. Redhead engaged in a sexual relationship with Ms X, a former patient, only a few weeks after the end of their doctor-patient relationship.

Dr. Redhead had treated Ms X on several occasions while on call at a hospital.

He attended on Ms X in person as a patient on five occasions: twice on November 12 and then on December 27, 28 and 29, 2006. Dr. Redhead was aware of Ms X's vulnerabilities and he treated her for mental illness. Although the Committee did not make a specific finding as to the date of commencement of the sexual relationship, the evidence is that the sexual relationship commenced at either the end of January 2007 or early in February 2007.

Dr. Redhead also gave gifts to Ms X. He knew that she was emotionally and financially needy. The giving of gifts by Dr. Redhead to someone who he knew had such problems, served only to deepen her dependence on him and thus exploited her vulnerability and augmented the power imbalance between them.

On October 30, 2013, the Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:

1. Dr. Redhead appear before the panel to be reprimanded.

2. The Registrar suspend Dr. Redhead's certificate of registration for a period of five (5) months, to commence on October 31, 2013 at 11:59 p.m.

3. The Registrar place the following terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Redhead's certificate of registration effective immediately:

(i) at his own expense, Dr. Redhead shall successfully complete College-facilitated instruction in Professionalism/Ethics no later than one (1) year from the date of this Order.

4. Dr. Redhead pay costs to the College in the amount of $25,000.00 within sixty (60) days from the date of this Order.