Discipline hearings and outcomes
A discipline hearing is an adjudicative process whereby the Discipline Committee, an independent statutory decision-making body made up of registrants and public members, hear witness testimony and review documentary evidence and determine whether allegations listed in citations are proven. The Discipline Committee is authorized by the Health Professions Act to make factual findings about a registrant’s conduct, competence, or health, and then impose an appropriate outcome with an order.
Outcomes from a disciplinary hearing can range from no further action being taken to suspension or cancellation of registration. Suspension and cancellation of registration is reserved for significant competence and conduct issues.
Discipline Committee decisions can be appealed the British Columbia Supreme Court.
All citations listing allegations against a registrant are published on BCCNM’s website. The allegations are not proven until a full discipline hearing has taken place and a written decision rendered by the Discipline Committee.
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Observing a hearing
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The college’s Discipline Committee conducts hearings under the authority of the
Health Professions Act. Hearings are mainly conducted virtually and are open to members of the public.
The college expects that all who wish to observe read and abide by the
rules for attending hearings.
Members of the public do not need to contact the college or register to observe a hearing.
Each notice of hearing includes a unique link that provides access to the proceedings. The link will not be active until the first day of the hearing. Each hearing day, the host will open the link to allow observers into the hearing approximately five minutes before it is scheduled to begin and will close it at the end of each day. When a hearing is being held over multiple days, the same link will be valid for the duration.
BCCNM uses
Webex for virtual hearings. Observers may need to download the app ahead of time for optimal viewing experience.
Collection Notice
The information gathered through WebEx is collected by the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) for the purposes of accessing a disciplinary hearing. This information will not be disclosed except if required or authorized by law to a third party. The legal authority for collecting and disclosing this information is under Sections 26(a) and 26(c) and 33 of the British Columbia
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Section 16 of the
Health Professions Act. If you have any questions, please contact
privacy@bccnm.ca.