Sanu Gopinathan Pillai

Sanu Gopinathan Pillai, Registration Number # 17374

Case Number: 2018-0043

On October 11, 2018 the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) referred a matter involving Sanu Gopinathan Pillai to the Discipline Committee for a hearing. The hearing took place on June 18 – 20, 2019 and August 21, 2020

Finding

The panel of the Discipline Committee confirmed its decision on the finding on April 20, 2020 and the Order was released on May 28, 2020. The decision and reasons on finding and the Order were released on May 28, 2020.

After having considered all of the evidence, the panel found Sanu Gopinathan Pillai to have committed the following acts of professional misconduct under section 1 of the Professional Misconduct Regulation, O. Reg. 388/08:

• paragraph 1 (failing to maintain the standards of practice of the profession);
• paragraph 10 (sexual abuse of a patient); 
• paragraph 18 (engaging in conduct or performing an act relevant to the practice of the profession that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional); and
• paragraph 19 (conduct unbecoming a physiotherapist)

The panel also found Mr. Pillai to have engaged in sexual abuse of a patient as defined under ss. 1(3), 1(4) and s.51(1)(b.1) of the Health Professions Procedural Code, which is Schedule 2 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, c.18 (the "Code").

The panel issued an interim order on May 28, 2020 suspending Mr. Pillai’s certificate of registration until such time as the Panel makes an order with respect to penalty.

Penalty

The panel of the Discipline Committee reconvened on August 20, 2020 for a penalty hearing. This hearing proceeded by way of a Joint Submission on Penalty and Cost. The panel confirmed its decision on penalty and decision on costs on August 20, 2020.

The panel of the Discipline Committee ordered the following penalty, That Mr. Pillai:

• Receive a reprimand at the conclusion of the hearing (delivered on August 20, 2020)
• Serve a suspension for the period of May 29, 2020 - August 29, 2021. The suspension could be extended if Mr. Pillai is unable to complete the remaining requirements
• Successfully complete (having received an unconditional pass) the ProBe ethics program offered through the CPEP 
• Attend one-on-one coaching sessions with a consultant selected by the College
• Complete a review of various College, standards, tools and resources 
• Mr. Pillai may not supervise physiotherapy students and/or PTA students and will not be eligible to be considered by the Registrar to be a practice supervisor for a physiotherapist who holds a provisional practice certificate of registration until all of the terms of the Order have been met and the Registrant has practiced for a period of five years from the date of his return to practice without being the subject of any new concerns reported to the College.
• Practice as a PTA only under the supervision of a pre-approved, registered member of the College who is a full-time physiotherapist in the Registrant’s practice location. The practice location may only be either a hospital or a practice location owned by a regulated health care provider.

The following terms, conditions and limitations were on Sanu Gopinathan Pillai's certificate of registration at the time they resigned, as a result of a discipline hearing that took place on June 18-20, 2019 and August 20, 2020.

• Sanu Gopinathan Pillai may not supervise physiotherapy students and/or PTA students and will not be eligible to be considered to be a practice supervisor for a phystiotherapist who holds a providional practice certificate of registration until they have met certain requirements and has practiced, in good standing, for a period of five years.