Complaints and Reports

Information for Registrants

The College of Opticians of Ontario is mandated to investigate complaints and reports that are made regarding the conduct of its registrants. Opticians are entitled to submit a formal complaint against another registrant of the College. To learn more please see the Complaints Process.  Complaints and reports can come from anyone. 

Each step of investigating a complaint or report is done in accordance with the legislation.  The process is intended to be fair to both the person who makes the complaint and the registrant who is the subject of the complaint or report.

Making a Complaint or Reporting Information

Opticians have a professional responsibility to notify the College of Opticians of Ontario regarding concerns about another registrant as it relates to their:

• Conduct 
• Competence
• Capacity

Opticians have a legal obligation to report certain information to the College of Opticians of Ontario. Please refer to Mandatory Reporting Obligations.

Registrar’s Report

The Registrar of the College of Opticians of Ontario may initiate an investigation if information is received that a registrant:

• Has committed Professional misconduct
• Is incompetent
• Is incapacitated

This investigation will result in a Registrar’s Report.

Responding to a Complaint

Will I be notified if a complaint is made about me?

If a formal complaint has been made against your conduct, competence or capacity you will receive notification, along with a copy of the complaint.  

Please review the Complaints Process for information on how complaints are addressed.

What should I keep in mind when preparing my response?

The staff at the College of Opticians of Ontario are happy to answer any questions you might have about the complaints process, however, cannot help prepare your response.

When preparing your response, you should:

• Respect timelines: you have 30 days to respond to the complaint.   
• Read the entire letter of complaint and any related correspondence before responding.
• Submit a professional response addressing each of the issues raised.   

What happens after I submit my response?

A copy of your response will be provided to the individual complainant for comment and you may be contacted for further information.

If a formal investigation was carried out, you will receive a copy of the investigation report and you will be given an opportunity to respond.

All of the information is forwarded to the Inquiries Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) for review.

The ICRC review is a paper review, meaning the ICRC does not hold a hearing.  Please make sure that any information you want to make the ICRC aware of is included in your response.

After conducting its review, the ICRC will make a decision.

Please visit the Complaints Process page for more details on the types of decision the ICRC can make.

What happens if I am dissatisfied with the decision?

Unless the matter was referred to the Discipline Committee or the Fitness to Practice Committee, you have the right to request a review before the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB).

Responding to a Registrar’s Report

Will I be notified if a report is made about me?

If a Registrar’s Report is initiated regarding your practice, you will receive notification as well as a copy of the report.

What should I keep in mind when preparing my response?

The staff at the College of Opticians of Ontario are happy to answer any questions you might have about the Registrar's Report process, however, cannot help prepare your response.

When preparing your response, you should:

• Respect timelines: you have 30 days to respond to the report.   
• Read the entire report and any related correspondence before responding.
• Submit a professional response addressing each of the issues raised.   

What happens after I submit my response?

All of the information received by the College is forwarded to the Inquiries Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) for review. You may be asked to provide additional information.

The ICRC review is a paper review, meaning the ICRC does not hold a hearing. Please make sure that any information you want to make the ICRC aware of is included in your response.

After conducting its review, the ICRC will make a decision.

Please visit the Complaints Process page for more details on the types of decision the ICRC can make.

What happens if I am dissatisfied with the decision?

There is no right of review to Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) from ICRC decisions pertaining to Registrar’s Reports.

What else do I need to know?

Duty to Cooperate: You are required to fully cooperate with the College of Opticians of Ontario and/or any investigator appointed by the College. This includes providing a copy of the entire patient health record, including all lab orders and reports when it is requested.

Failure to cooperate with the investigation could result in further disciplinary action.

Right to Legal Counsel: You have the right to obtain legal representation if you wish.

The Complainant: You should refrain from discussing the matter with the complainant

Maintaining Professionalism:  Failure to conduct yourself in a professional manner could result in further disciplinary action.