All health professionals who
are regulated under the HPA have a professional, ethical and legal
responsibility to report any unsafe practice or professional misconduct of any other
regulated health practitioner.
Dentists and certified dental
assistants must report any members of other health professional colleges if
they believe the public is at risk because the practitioner is not competent or
is suffering from a physical or mental ailment, emotional disturbance or
alcohol/drug addiction that impairs their ability to practise.
Sexual
misconduct must also be reported. Where concerns about sexual misconduct are
based on information from a patient, the consent of the patient or their parent/guardian
must be obtained before making the report.
The HPA provides immunity to
health professionals who comply with the duty to report as long as the report
is made in good faith and is based on reasonable and probable grounds.
