Summary

This bill grants the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan expanded enforcement powers over anyone practising or professing to practise medicine without a licence, increases fines for unauthorized practice, and allows the college to seek court injunctions and orders compelling people to provide information during investigations. The bill also authorizes government funding for the college's enforcement activities and extends the time limit for prosecutions from one year to two years after discovery of a contravention.

The bill changes who the College of Physicians and Surgeons can regulate and how. Currently, the college primarily regulates its own licensed members. This bill adds a new prohibition on practising or professing to practise medicine without registration, and gives the college authority to investigate anyone who might be doing so, whether or not they claim to be licensed. If the college believes someone is practising medicine without a licence, it can ask a court to order that person to hand over records and answer questions. The college can also seek a court injunction to stop the person from continuing. Fines for unauthorized practice increase substantially: for individuals, from a maximum of $15,000 to $50,000 for repeat offences, and for corporations, up to $100,000. The bill does not define what counts as practising medicine beyond the existing language in the Act, which covers diagnosing, treating, operating, or prescribing for any human disease or condition. Regulations may later exempt certain activities. The college, not the Crown, will prosecute these offences, and the government may fund these enforcement efforts. The bill also makes parallel changes to The Regulated Health Professions Act, increasing fines and clarifying enforcement authority.