Press Release
College meets with municipal representatives from Barrrington and Clark's Harbour
June 23, 2000 - Representatives from the municipalities of Barrington and Clark's Harbour met today with Dr. Cameron Little, Registrar, and Dr. Sharon Casson, Deputy Registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia. The meeting was requested by the municpal representatives to discuss the case of Dr. Hunter Blair, a general practitioner in Barrington Passage, Shelburne County, who is being investigated by the College for engaging in sexual misconduct with a patient.
During a one-hour meeting, Drs. Little and Casson explained the College's investigations and disciplinary processes, and outlined the provisions of the College's sexual misconduct guidelines, which are distributed to all Nova Scotia physicians. Drs. Little and Casson were unable to discuss specific information about the case because it remains under investigation.
Dr. Blair's case has been the subject of significant public interest in Shelburne county. Residents are concerned that a suspension of Dr. Blair's license could result in reduced access to medical care in a region that many already consider under-served.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia is a quasi-judicial body that governs the practice of medicine in the public interest. In certain instances, this mandate requires the College to suspend or revoke the licenses of physicians who it deems to have behaved incompetently or committed serious ethical breaches in their dealings with patients.
"Our commitment to the people of Barrington Passage is no less strong than it is to the residents of any other community in Nova Scotia," said Dr. Little. "To waver from this commitment would be to permit potentially lower professional standards to prevail in regions where physicians are in particularly short supply."
As of Friday, June 23, there had been no settlement agreement between Dr. Blair and the College, nor a hearing. A settlement agreement is proposed by the physician, and includes an admission of professional misconduct, an agreement on the facts of the case, and the doctor's agreement to a specified disposition or penalty, which must be acceptable to the College's Investigation and Hearing Committees.
License suspensions are not uncommon in cases of professional misconduct. The status of Dr. Blair's license will not be determined until a settlement agreement or a disciplinary hearing are concluded.
Dr. Blair has been represented by legal counsel in his recent dealings with the College.
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Contact:
Bruce Thorne
Manager, Policy and Communications
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
Suite 5005, 7071 Bayers Rd.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3L 2C2
Phone: (902) 421-2212
Cell: (902) 499-6403
Toll-free in Nova Scotia: 1-877-282-7767
E-mail: bthorne@cpsns.ns.ca
(Updated January 29, 2003)
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