Previous Hearings
Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 30 Jul 2001
Summary:
On July 30, 2001, the Discipline Committee accepted Dr. Ecclestone(s plea of guilty and found him guilty of professional misconduct with regard to conduct that was considered to be disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional relating to improper sexual conduct and communications by Dr. Ecclestone with two females who were attending him to obtain approval for OHIP funding for medical procedures.
The Discipline Committee ordered the following:
1) Dr. Ecclestone be reprimanded and the fact of the reprimand be recorded on the Register
2) Dr. Ecclestone(s certificate of registration be revoked
3) Dr. Ecclestone pay the costs of $1,250.00 to the College
Decision: Download Full Decision (PDF)
Appeal: No Appeal
Hearing Date(s): Jul 30, 2001
Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 21 Feb 1992
Summary:
In February 1992, Dr. Ecclestone pleaded guilty to a charge of professional misconduct, as defined in s. 27(29) of Ontario Regulation 448/80, as amended, in that he committed sexual impropriety with a patient. The Discipline Committee accepted this plea and found Dr. Ecclestone guilty of professional misconduct. Consequently, the Committee imposed the following penalty:
1. Dr. Ecclestone was to be reprimanded, with the fact of the reprimand to be recorded on the Register.
2. The following restrictions and conditions were to be placed on Dr. Ecclestone s licence to practice medicine:
(a) Dr. Ecclestone was to have no involvement in clinical contact or care of patients;
(b) Dr. Ecclestone was not to prescribe medications for others or himself; and
(c) Continuance of Dr. Ecclestone s licence was to be dependent upon his continuing in therapy with his current psychiatrist or another psychotherapist acceptable to the Registrar; further, he was to direct his psychotherapist to provide semi-annual reports to the Registrar.
3. The Committee imposed the following further conditions upon Dr. Ecclestone s licence:
(a) Dr. Ecclestone was to be prohibited from applying for a variation of these conditions for a period of one year from the date upon which this decision became final;
(b) Any application to so vary was to be made to the present or another panel of the Discipline Committee;
(c) The record of the present proceedings was to form part of any future application to vary these conditions upon Dr. Ecclestone s licence; and
(d) Any future application to remove these conditions was to be accompanied by an independent psychiatric assessment of Dr. Ecclestone s course of therapy which was to offer an opinion as to its success in ensuring to a substantive degree of medical and psychological certainty that he posed no danger to future patients.
Subsequently, in June 1993, the Discipline Committee heard Dr. Ecclestone s application to vary conditions.
In a decision dated 1 September 1993, the Committee ordered that the following terms and conditions be imposed on Dr. Ecclestone s licence to practice:
1. Dr. Ecclestone was to be allowed to return to clinical practice but a third adult person was to be present whenever he was in the presence of a female patient;
2. Dr. Ecclestone was not to prescribe medications for himself;
3. The ongoing reports from Dr. Ecclestone s therapist to the Registrar were to include an opinion regarding the impact of his graduated return to clinical practice upon his continuing therapy; and
4. All other restrictions and conditions placed upon Dr. Ecclestone s licence to practice were to continue in full force and effect.
Subsequently, in May 1995, the Discipline Committee heard a further application by Dr. Ecclestone to vary conditions of the original February 1992 order with regard to the ongoing need for therapeutic support or semi-annual reports to the Registrar should no longer be a requirement of the College. The Committee granted the motion to remove the following:
2. (c) Continuance of Dr. Ecclestone s licence was to be dependent upon his continuing in therapy with his current psychiatrist or another psychotherapist acceptable to the Registrar; further, he was to direct his psychotherapist to provide semi-annual reports to the Registrar. (Order of February 1992).
All other restrictions and conditions placed on Dr. Ecclestone s certificate shall continue in full force and effect.
Appeal: No Appeal
Hearing Date(s): 21 Feb 1992