A sexual relationship with a former patient turned office assistant has landed a Vernon doctor with a suspension.
Craig Scott Jackson has been suspended for at least three months due to sexual misconduct, according to a public notice issued Tuesday, April 1, from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
Following an investigation into Jackson's conduct, an inquiry committee with the B.C. regulator was critical of the doctor's admitted behaviour, and concluded that engaging in a personal and sexual relationship with a former patient amounted to a significant breach of the regulator's practice standards.
"The committee determined that a disciplinary outcome was appropriate," the public notice states.
According to the notice, Jackson admitted to the following three breaches of the College's practice standards:
鈥� He breached the "non-sexual boundary violation" standard by hiring his patient as a member of his office staff and entering into a personal relationship with the patient.
鈥� He breached the "sexual misconduct" standard by entering into a sexual relationship with a medical office assistant who had formerly been a patient.
鈥� He breached the "treatment of self, family members and others close to you" standard by prescribing to an individual with whom he was in a personal and sexual relationship.
Jackson is suspended from practicing medicine for six months starting April 1, however the suspension could be reduced to three months if terms and conditions are met.
Speaking to The Morning Star on Wednesday, Jackson said he fully accepts and respects the College's decision to discipline him for what he called "a major mistake."
Jackson clarified that the rule he broke was not that he entered into a relationship with a former patient. He explained that the College's guidelines explicitly prohibit having relationships with a patient, but whereas regulators in Ontario, for instance, specify that five years must pass from the time a person is a patient before a relationship can be entered, the B.C. College does not have such a timeline defined in its guidelines, which only prohibit relationships with "patients" and not "former patients."
Instead, the rule he broke was having a relationship with an employee, which Jackson fully admitted to.
He said he was unaware that this rule existed.
"I did not know that you could not have a relationship with an employee. I did not know that. And I only became aware of that after this all came to a head," he said.
Jackson said he hired a woman while he was in a staffing crisis with the intention of it being a short-term hire, and then they developed a relationship. He said he had gone through a "very difficult" divorce shortly before this time.
"I didn't know there were any boundaries for an employee, and I found out the hard way there was," he said. "I thought I was doing the right thing, I did not know I was doing the wrong thing, and that's what it really boils down to."
Jackson has roughly 5,000 patients. He said he has tried for six months to find a locum (or temporary substitute) physician to cover his practice while he is suspended but was unable to and has had to shut his practice down and give his patients long-term prescriptions for the period he'll be gone.
He is grateful the penalty the College gave him is fair and in accordance to past precedent.
"I am totally 100 per cent respectful of the College and their role, and what they've done, what they've given me, I think is more than fair."
In addition to the suspension, Jackson must also complete an independent medical assessment, attend an interview with registrar staff and comply with conditions or monitoring of his practice established by the College.
