The following is a list of frequently asked questions about The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan

What is the College and what are its responsibilities?

The College of Physicians and Surgeons is a statutory, self-regulating body established by legislation of the Government of Saskatchewan and charged with the responsibility of:

• Licensing properly qualified medical practitioners;
• Developing and ensuring the standards of practice in all fields of medicine;
• Investigating and disciplining of all doctors whose standards of medical care, ethical or professional conduct are questioned.

 What is the Council of the College?

The Council is the governing body of the College and is composed of twelve (12) elected physicians, five non-medical members, the Dean of Medicine or his/her designate and, if the past president is not an elected member of Council, the past president. Council members meet five times a year and it is through the Council that the mandate and responsibilities of the College are carried out.

Each year at its first meeting, the Council elects from its members a President, Vice President and an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is composed of the President, the Vice President, Past President and two members elected at large from and by the council. The President presides over each meeting of Council and the Executive Committee. In his/her absence, the Vice President is vested with all of the powers and performs all of the duties of the President. The Executive Committee has and exercises all the power and direction of the Council but does not enact, repeal or amend bylaws or make regulations that are inconsistent with existing regulations.

How are Council members elected?

Section 11(1) of the Medical Profession Act, 1981 Identifies ten (10) electoral divisions from which Council members are elected. Two members are elected from each of the electoral divisions of Regina and Saskatoon, and one member from each of the other divisions. When a vacancy occurs in a division, the Registrar of the College mails out to each member qualified to vote in a district, a list of all those qualified to stand for election. Accompanying the list is a nomination paper. Each candidate is nominated by three (3) members and candidates must submit their acceptance in writing. Voting is done by mail by secret ballot.

What about non-medical members?

Non-medical members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of the Province as representatives of the general public in accordance with Section 9(1) of the Medical Profession Act, 1981. Like physician members they are appointed for a term of three years. Non-medical members exercise the same rights in holding office and serving as members of committees and subcommittees as the elected members and actively participate in all decision making processes.

How are Committees established by the College?

Some of the committees operated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons are prescribed in The Medical Profession Act, 1981. In addition, Section 6(1)(1) empowers the Council to make bylaws establishing any committees that the Council considers necessary to fulfill its mission.

What purpose do the Committees serve?

Several of the committees serve to monitor the quality of specific medical services, identify instances in which the quality may be inadequate, and provide educational feedback to physicians focused on quality improvement. Other committees are established to offer advisory services to the Council, Regional Health Authorities and the Ministry of Health.

In general, the creation of committees enables the Council to undertake a broader range of work than it could if it reserved all of these tasks to itself. The committees harness special expertise among physicians and non-physicians which may not be included among the membership of the Council and provide an opportunity for a greater number of physicians to be involved in the work of the College and broaden the base of input into Council decision-making.

What are the responsibilities of the Committees?

Each of the committees is accountable to and carries responsibilities delegated to it by the Council. The Council for the College regularly reviews written reports submitted to it from the committees and periodically interacts directly with each chairperson to discuss the work of the committee and its future plans.