INFORMATION REQUESTS SENT TO THE CPSO, AND THEIR REPLIES
Date: 3 August 2023
From: Dr Peter Gray
To: datashare@cpso.on.ca
My request is for:
1. The number of "never reapply" undertakings offered by your college to its members during the last 10 years (or, if this is too onerous, the last 5 years); and
2. The number of these undertakings which were either signed, or refused, by members.
For the avoidance of doubt, a "never reapply" undertaking is an undertaking containing the words "I hereby undertake not to apply or re-apply for registration as a physician..." or similar.
________________________________________________________________________
8 August 2023
From: datashare@cpso.on.ca
Good morning Peter,
Thank you for your submission.
The Data Sharing Working Group has reviewed this your request. After careful review and consideration, we have determined that your request does not meet the College’s criteria for releasing data.
The information you've requested is outside the standard data set offered by the College. As such, we are unable to provide you with the information requested.
We wish you the all the best in your endeavour.
Best regards,
Rhonel
Rhonel Biddy (she/her)
Information Governance Analyst | Data Sharing Working Group
rbiddy@cpso.on.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
_______________________________________________________________________
Date: 2 January 2024
From: Dr Peter Gray
To: datashare@cpso.on.ca
My request relates to "never reapply" undertakings, that is to say, undertakings given by physicians to the CPSO never to apply or reapply for a licence to practise in Ontario, or as the case may be, anywhere in the world.
To the best of the CPSO's knowledge, has any undertaking of this sort ever been upheld as valid by any court in any legal jurisdiction?
___________________________________________________________________
Date: 1 February 2024
From: datashare@cpso.on.ca
Good afternoon Peter,
Thank you for your submission.
The Data Sharing Working Group has reviewed your request for data release. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that your request does not meet the criteria established by our College's guidelines for data sharing.
It is important to note that the College uses a standardized data set outlined in our official data request form. We cannot accommodate requests for data beyond what is outlined in the form.
We wish you the best in your endeavour.
Best regards,
Rhonel
Rhonel Biddy (she/her) CHIM, CIPP/C
Information Governance Analyst | Data Sharing Working Group
rbiddy@cpso.on.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
________________________________________________________________________
Date: 2 August 2024
From: Dr Peter Gray
To: datashare@cpso.on.ca
I wish to know what retention periods are applied to CPSO data, i.e. after what period (if ever) are CPSO records permanently destroyed, with particular reference to personal files pertaining to former CPSO members. The CPSO policy on Medical Records Retention (by members) states: "Physicians must ensure medical records are retained for a minimum of the following time periods: Adult patients: 10 years from the date of the last entry in the record." Does the CPSO follow a similar policy for retention of its own records?
______________________________________________________________________
Date: 7 August 2024
From: datashare@cpso.on.ca
Good afternoon Peter,
Thank you for your submission.
The Data Sharing Working Group has reviewed your request for data release. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that your request does not meet the criteria established by the College's guidelines for data sharing.
The College uses a standardized data set outlined in our official data request form and cannot accommodate requests for data beyond what is outlined in the form.
We wish you the best in your endeavour.
Best regards,
Rhonel
Rhonel Biddy (she/her) CHIM, CIPP/C
Information Governance Analyst | Data Sharing Working Group
rbiddy@cpso.on.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
___________________________________________________________________________
Date: 11 September 2024
From: Dr Peter Gray
To: datashare@cpso.on.ca
I would be grateful if you would tell me the percentage of complaints closed within 120 days of being received, for the most recent year for which these figures are available.
________________________________________________________________________
Date: 1 October 2024
From: datashare@cpso.on.ca
Good morning, Dr. Gray,
Please see the link to the CPSO Annual Report for 2023, which contains data on the time taken to complete complaint files.
Best regards,
Rhonel
Rhonel Biddy (she/her) CHIM, CIPP/C
Information Governance Analyst | Data Sharing Working Group
rbiddy@cpso.on.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
__________________________________________________________________________
Note: this does not answer the question I asked. The question was about the percentage of complaints closed within 120 days of being received, which was the time limit originally specified in the Act. The answer given was about the percentage of complaints closed within 150 days of being received, which is the extended time limit lobbied for by the CPSO in 2007-2009.
___________________________________________________________________________
Date: 30 July 2025
From: Dr Peter Gray
To: datashare@cpso.on.ca
I am investigating your college's use of "never reapply" undertakings, where the physician signs an undertaking never to apply
or reapply for membership of your college, or any other medical licensing organisation worldwide, as the case may be.
In the past it was possible to gather information on the number of physicians who signed these undertakings from your online
database. However, since restrictions on access to the database were introduced on 16 October 2024, it has not been
possible to access this information.
Please will you let me know the number of physicians who signed these undertakings in 2024.
________________________________________________________________________________
Date: 8 August 2025
From: datashare@cpso.on.ca
Good afternoon, Peter,
Thank you for your submission.
The Data Sharing Working Group has reviewed your request for data release. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that your request does not meet the criteria established by the College's guidelines for data sharing.
The College uses a standardized data set outlined in our official data request form and do not accommodate requests for data beyond what is outlined in the form.
We wish you the best in your endeavour.
Best regards,
Rhonel
Rhonel Biddy (she/her) CHIM, CIPP/C
Information Governance Analyst | Data Sharing Working Group
rbiddy@cpso.on.ca
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario