Suspended Wasaga Beach physician Dr. James McInnis to lose his licence after sexual abuse finding

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Dr. James McInnis, a former Angus and Wasaga Beach family doctor, will lose his licence after he was found to have sexually abused a patient and his nurse by The Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal.

The decision, based on a balance of probabilities, concluded McInnis was more likely than not to have committed sexual abuse by having inappropriate sexual relationships with his nurse and his patient following more than a month of testimony by several witnesses in October more than four years after the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario suspended McInnis.

Tribunal Findings

According to the Tribunal, McInnis was found to have engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional conduct by pursuing a sexual relationship with a patient to whom he provided narcotics and used the drugs and also having sex with another patient's fiancée, whom he impregnated.

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The Tribunal found he also failed to maintain the profession's standard in handling medications and in his care and treatment of patients.

The Tribunal believed McInnis had sexual intercourse with his practice monitor nurse, who was put in place following a previous suspension by the College, which ordered the nurse to be in the room at all times while McInnis treated female patients.

The Tribunal also believed McInnis tried to interfere with the College's investigation by asking a patient to lie to the College.

Suspensions

McInnis abruptly closed his offices in Angus and Wasaga Beach in November 2019 when the allegations surfaced, and his licence was suspended. Signs posted on his office doors informed his patients he was taking a personal leave of absence.

McInnis was suspended by the College three times between 2011 and 2019. The first suspension was following a sexual assault investigation while serving as a medical officer in the military at CFB Borden in 2010.

McInnis faced nine charges, including four counts of sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually harassing patients and was suspended for three months.

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Not long after, while working as an emergency doctor at a local hospital in March of 2011, McInnis was accused of inappropriate behaviour toward a nurse and suspended in 2013 for two months.

McInnis has paid more than $7,000 in penalties to the College and now faces even more and, ultimately, the automatic loss of his licence for at least five years under the Regulated Health Professions Act after being found to have committed sexual abuse.

Defence lawyer Seth Weinstein told CTV News, "Dr. McInnis is very disappointed in the decision but as the matter remains before the Tribunal, we will not be making any further comment at this time. "

The Tribunal noted McInnis remains suspended until its final penalty order is handed down in March.