"Professionals" Being Checked Out

Criminal record checks to increase

So the politicos have decided to require criminal record checks for this previously 'protected' class of "professionals" in B.C...

The reality is that those people aren't any more infallible than anyone else who is put in a position of trust in society. Healthcare workers, allied health professionals and others should have regular checks done as they deal with the public in very private/ personal circumstances and have access to a lot of confidential information. Knowing some of the folks who enter those fields from my university days, I'd ask why this wasn't done sooner... :-)

Ensuring that some bad apples don't fly "under the radar" with criminal behaviour once they are hired is probably a good move, though it may result in scrutinization that could make some uncomfortable. With all the cases in the media of Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers and others engaging in unprofessional conduct, its about time self-policing was ended for these groups.

Personally, I'd like to see independent members outside of those constituencies form 50% of the disciplinary committees that the various professional bodies have constituted. I believe the public would be better protected as a result of having a check on medical, legal, or teaching insiders disciplining one of their "own".