Comprehensive Clinical Assessment of Practice: Criteria and Outcomes

Preamble

At the Registrar’s discretion, physicians meeting certain criteria may request a Comprehensive Clinical Assessment of Practice (CCAP) for the purpose of attaining long-term, renewable licensure in Nova Scotia. Successful completion of a CCAP leads to either a Full or Restricted licence.

Purpose

This policy describes the eligibility criteria and possible outcomes for a CCAP.

Scope

This policy applies to physicians who meet the listed eligibility criteria for a CCAP.

Policy

A. Eligibility

At the discretion of the Registrar, a CCAP may be offered to a physician who holds a Restricted licence issued via one of the following pathways:

1. Pathway to Long-Term Licensure via a Defined Licence^*,1
2. Pathway to Restricted Licensure for Defined Licence Physicians on Sponsor-Only Oversight²
3. Pathway to Restricted Licensure for Academic Licence Physicians³

Eligible physicians on a Restricted licence must provide a letter from their Department Head indicating support for the assessment.

* Physicians issued a Restricted licence via the Pathway to Long-Term Licensure via a Defined Licence must practise under Restricted licensure in Nova Scotia for a minimum of 24 months. This practice must be at least 0.5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) at a minimum of 900 hours annually immediately prior to the Registrar’s decision in this regard.

A CCAP will only be offered to candidates in disciplines for which a rigorous and unbiased process is available and can reasonably be established. It will be for the Registrar to determine whether a CCAP is feasible and appropriate for any given candidate.

With no exceptions, candidates will be offered only one attempt at the CCAP.

B. Costs

The exact nature, duration and cost of the CCAP will be determined by the College in consultation with experts in the discipline. All costs associated with the assessment, including administrative costs of the College, will be borne by the candidate.

C. Outcomes

When making a decision regarding licensure, the Registrar will consider the results of the CCAP along with any other relevant information including, but not limited to supervision reports and examination results.

The licensing decisions available include:

1. Full licensure; or
2. Restricted licensure, including specific conditions and/or restrictions regarding scope of practice and any other conditions and/or restrictions the Registrar deems necessary to support safe and effective practice; or
3. Referral to the Registration Committee if there are concerns regarding the physician’s capacity, competence, and/or character to safely and ethically practise medicine.

Appealing a Licensing Decision

All licensing decisions have an appeals process depending on the circumstances. The internal review and appeal processes are laid out in the policy for Appealing a Licensing Decision.⁴

Resources

1. Pathway to Long-Term Licensure via a Defined Licence
2. Pathway to Restricted Licensure for Defined Licence Physicians on Sponsor-Only Oversight
3. Pathway to Restricted Licensure for Academic Licence Physicians
4. Appealing a Licensing Decision