discipline summaries
psychiatrist, and in this regard Dr. Tennen failed his
patient and his profession.
In mitigation, the Committee noted that Dr. Tennen admitted his unacceptable behaviour as professional misconduct and, in so doing, spared his former
patients having to testify and endure cross examination. This also reduced the cost to the College of a full,
contested hearing.
The Committee noted that the College’s expert
did identify some positive aspects of Dr. Tennen’s
care; that he was empathetic and caring. The expert
acknowledged that Patient B in particular presented
particularly challenging issues for a psychiatrist. In his
reports filed with the Committee, the College expert
expressed his opinion that Dr. Tennen did not pose a
risk of harm to his patients.
Further, the Committee noted that Dr. Tennen had
voluntarily completed a College sanctioned boundaries
course at Western University and had had no previous findings of professional misconduct over a 30-year
career.
It is the opinion of the Committee that both the
boundaries course and the period of supervision and
reassessment will provide significant opportunity for
Dr. Tennen’s rehabilitation, and the reprimand and
period of suspension will serve to protect the public.
visor.
b. ollowing a 12-month period of supervision, Dr.
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Tennen shall undergo a reassessment of his practice
by a College appointed assessor who shall report
the results of the assessment to the College.
c. r. Tennen shall cooperate with unannounced
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inspections of his practice and patient charts by
College representatives for the purposes of monitoring and enforcing compliance with the terms of
this Order.
d. r. Tennen shall be responsible for any and all
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costs associated with implementing the terms of
this Order.
4. r. Tennen pay costs in the amount of $4,460 within
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30 days of the date of this Order.
Order
DR. ROBIN CHARLES WOOLLAM
The Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:
1. r. Tennen attend before the panel to be reprimanded;
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2. he Registrar suspend Dr. Tennen’s certificate of registration for a period of three months commencing
December 1, 2013.
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3. he Registrar impose the following terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Tennen’s certificate of
registration:
a. r. Tennen shall, within 30 days from the date of
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this Order, retain a clinical supervisor, approved
by the College, who shall sign the undertaking.
Dr. Tennen shall meet with the clinical supervisor
every two weeks to review the cases and charts of a
minimum of three female patients with potential
to experience, or actively, experiencing, transference in the course of treatment. Dr. Tennen shall
abide by all recommendations of his clinical super-
At the conclusion of the hearing, Dr. Tennen waived his
right to an appeal and the Committee administered the
public reprimand.
Full decisions are available online at www.cpso.on.ca.
Select Doctor Search and enter the doctor’s name.
Practice Location: Mississauga/Oakville
Area of Practice: General Practice
Hearing Information: Admission to the allegation of
having been found guilty of an offence relevant to his
suitability to practice; No contest plea to the allegations of sexual abuse and disgraceful, dishonourable
and unprofessional conduct; Statement of Facts and
Admissions; Joint Submission on Penalty.
On February 5, 2014, the Discipline Committee
found that Dr. Woollam committed an act of professional misconduct, in that he engaged in sexual abuse
of