Discipline Hearing Summary Discipline Committee Decision Summary On July 18, 2014, a panel of the Discipline Committee of the College of Midwives of Ontario found Ms. Rosa Anna Perconti guilty of professional misconduct for contravening the standards of practice in respect of client care and practice management. The Panel also found Ms. Perconti to be incompetent. In its decision on penalty dated November 7, 2014, the Discipline Committee revoked Ms. Perconti’s certificate of registration. This hearing concluded in 2015 and a summary of the decision was made available on the College’s website. The Member initially appealed the decision and abandoned the appeal in December 2015. The Hearing The Panel heard evidence from 34 witnesses and submissions from the lawyers for the College and for Ms. Perconti. Over 160 exhibits were entered into evidence. The hearing was held over 53 days in 2012 and 2013 and the hearing on penalty was held over an additional three days in October 2014. The hearing on costs was held over two days in January 2015. The Findings The Panel made 39 findings of professional misconduct against Ms. Perconti in respect of the following issues: • Failing to ensure that two midwives were present at births; • Failing to ensure that New Registrants in her practice attended births with a General Registrant; • Failing to ensure that New Registrants in her practice only provided care at hospitals where they had privileges; • Failing to communicate with her colleagues appropriately in relation to the care of their clients; • Falling below the standards of the profession for antenatal care, postpartum care and/or newborn care in respect of nine clients; intrapartum care, • Falling below the standard of the profession in respect of the performance of external cephalic versions; • Failing to document care plans; • Administering an unauthorized substance by injection to a client (Vitamin B12); and • Acting unprofessionally in her management of the practice. The Panel found that Ms. Perconti’s practice management issues (including the size and geography of the catchment area, the turnover of staff, mentorship and supervision) “represent a consistent and repetitive theme in this case” and contributed to compromised client care. The Panel acknowledged the challenges facing rural midwifery practices, but noted that Ms. Perconti “failed in a number of ways and at a number of critical times to take the necessary steps to manage these challenges appropriately as she attempted to grow her midwifery practice. Volume 8, Issue 3 | December 2015 Volume 9, Issue 1 April 2016 6
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