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Physician-Assisted Dying Panel Discussion

The College will host a panel discussion, “The Moral and Professional Implications of the Supreme Court Decision on Physician-Assisted Dying”. The panel will address issues associated with physician-assisted dying and shed light on circumstances where a physician’s beliefs might run counter to the desires of the patient. The panel will follow the College’s 20th Annual General Meeting.

Date:
Friday, May 22, 2015

Time:
4:45 p.m.

Location:
Dalhousie University
Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building – Theatre B
5850 College Street
Halifax, NS

Panelists:

  • Dr. Nuala Patricia Kenny became Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University and Chief of Pediatrics at the IWK Hospital in 1988. In 1995, she became the founding Chair of the Department of Bioethics at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. She is presently Professor Emeritus at Dalhousie University.
  • Dr. Rocco Gerace is the Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and an Observer on the Canadian Medical Association’s Committee on Ethics. CPSO’s Council recently approved a policy on Professional Obligations and Human Rights .
  • Jocelyn Downie is a lawyer who has worked for many years on the decriminalization of assisted death and women’s health. She is a Professor in the Faculties of Law and Medicine at Dalhousie University and a Faculty Associate of the Dalhousie Health Law Institute.
  • Dr.Jeff Kirby is a healthcare ethicist with a background in medicine and philosophy and professor in the Department of Bioethics at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine.

This event is open to the public. Should you wish to attend, please RSVP to Ms. Carolyn MacDonald at 902-421-2209 or via e-mail at cmacdonald@cpsns.ns.ca .

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Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone) Exemption Requirement Lifted

The Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness has recently extended coverage of patients with opioid use disorder between 18 and 24 years of age to include buprenorphine/naloxone in provincial programs.

In light of national trends and policies in prescribing this treatment, the College has removed the requirement for a Health Canada methadone exemption to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone in the treatment of opioid use disorder.

As a partial opioid receptor agonist, buprenorphine/naloxone is subject to the Federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and must be prescribed using a PMP duplicate prescription pad.

The College will require physicians wishing to expand their scope of practice to include the use of buprenorphine/naloxone in the treatment of opioid use disorder to have completed the online CAMH buprenorphine course .

Please contact Annie Drew-Purcell at 902-421-2216 for further details.

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NSPMP eAccess Password Reset

The Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program (NSPMP) recognizes that prescribers and pharmacists require access to a patient’s monitored prescription history using NSPMP’s eAccess application.

To reset your eAccess password, call 1-844-550-1651 (available 24 hours).

Callers will be required to answer security questions for identification and registration validation purposes. It is important to note that this dedicated phone line is only to request eAccess password resets.

For all other enquiries, call 1-877-476-7767 or 902-496-7123.

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CAPP Program Closes

This year, the annual review of the Clinician Assessment for Practice Program (CAPP) identified the need for significant changes in order to keep pace with best practices in practice-ready assessment. Rather than invest a significant amount of time and resources in an outdated process, the College will now work with partners to build a new process that meets a new national standard.

The College has discontinued the Clinician Assessment for Practice Program (CAPP) and has cancelled the examinations scheduled for June 8th and 9th, 2015. There will be no further reviews of credentials related to CAPP.

This decision will not affect those CAPP physicians in practice under supervision or who have completed the period of supervision (Part B and Part C of the program). The College will continue to offer support, coordinate assessments and supervision of these physicians in practice. Physicians who have paid fees for the upcoming exam (Part A of the program) will be refunded.

Launched in 2005, CAPP was designed to select and support International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are practice-ready, without any additional formal residency training in Canada. It created a pathway for IMGs to receive provisional licensure to practise with supervision in underserviced communities, while working towards full medical licensure.

The Medical Council of Canada (MCC) and the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FMRAC), with substantial input from the College, have defined new pan-Canadian standards for practice-ready assessment (the National Assessment Collaboration -Practice Ready Assessment or NAC-PRA). It is anticipated NAC-PRA will soon fill the role of identifying IMGs ready for supervised practice.

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20th Annual General Meeting

All members and associate members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia are invited to attend its 20th Annual General Meeting.

Date:
Friday, May 22, 2015

Time:
4:45 p.m.

Location:
Dalhousie University
Sir Charles Tupper Building – Theatre B
5850 College Street
Halifax, NS

This event is open to the public. Should you wish to attend, please RSVP to Ms. Carolyn MacDonald at 902-421-2209 or via e-mail at cmacdonald@cpsns.ns.ca .

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Recognizing Physician Excellence

The College is pleased to announce Dr. John Fraser as this year’s recipient of its Gold-Headed Cane Award. The award recognizes an outstanding community-based physician who exemplifies professionalism in service to their patients, profession and community.

Dr. John Fraser has spent over thirty years working as a Family Physician at the North End Community Health Centre. An expert in the areas of addiction and chronic pain, he is also the Medical Director at Direction 180 and has provided consulting services at the QEII’s Pain Management Unit since 2008. Dr. John Fraser has dedicated his career working to help those in his community.

The award was presented to Dr. Fraser by the President of the College Dr. James MacLachlan.

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Conference Focuses On Issue Of Opioids

The Doctors NS 2015 annual conference will feature education sessions and a panel discussion on opioids. Panelists include Dr. Norman Buckley, Director of the Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre.

The Conference takes place on June 5 and 6, 2015 at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre in Cape Breton.

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Guidelines for Physicians Regarding Referral and Consultation

Effective communication between referring and consulting physicians is essential to the quality and safety of patient care.

Please review the College’s Guidelines for Physicians Regarding Referral and Consultation .

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The Prescribing Course: Safe Opioid Prescribing for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain will be offered:

May 2nd, 2015 in Charlottetown, PEI

May 16th, 2015 in Truro, Nova Scotia

New pain management resources for physicians at RightToolfortheJob.ca

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