CPSO is inviting feedback on the newly-titled Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries draft policy. Principles of trauma-informed care were key considerations for the proposed updates, which include:    

• A new expectation for physicians to obtain express consent before intimate examinations, treatments, and procedures, to better align with CPSO’s updated Consent to Treatment policy.
• Broadening references to “examinations” to include all “examinations, treatments, and procedures.”
• A new requirement for physicians to let patients know that they may ask to stop an intimate examination, treatment, or procedure at any time.  

The companion Advice document offers expanded guidance on implementing trauma-informed care in practice, using humour appropriately, navigating social network connections with patients, and responding to patient-initiated boundary crossings

Your input is important to the development of our policies. Please provide your feedback through our consultation page by November 24, 2025.