Vancouver doctor disciplined for practising medicine with 'inactive' licence

A doctor is seen in this file image. (Pexels)

A general practitioner in Vancouver has been publicly reprimanded for practising medicine without an active licence by the regulatory body for doctors.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. says it entered into a consent agreement with Dr. Gregory John Wicks on Nov. 22, after he admitted to continuing to practice medicine while his registration status was “temporarily inactive.”

He continued to invoice and accept payment from other physicians for services through his business, referred to as “APRS” in the agreement, even though his license to practice was not active, the college says.

“The inquiry committee was critical of the registrant’s admitted conduct and concluded that a physician practising without an active licence presents a significant risk to public safety, and that Dr. Wicks did so knowingly,” a summary reads.

The public notice does not elaborate on why Wicks’ registration was inactive. In an email to CTV News, the college said it cannot comment further on the circumstances regarding licensing due to privacy laws.

However, there is one other notice associated with his registrant profile on the CPSBC website, from November 2015.

That document states Wicks failed to properly complete his annual license renewal forms by omitting the fact he was also registered in one or more other jurisdictions in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

For that “unprofessional conduct,” the college transferred Wicks’ registration from the “general/family” class to the “conditional—disciplined” class and fined him $15,000.

The more recent consent agreement indicates Wicks still has the “conditional—disciplined” registration and will keep it.

In addition to the formal reprimand, on Nov. 22, Wicks was suspended from practicing medicine for one day. He will also have to complete an assessment program and practise in a location approved by the CPSBC and must respond to communications from the college within four weeks.

“The inquiry committee agreed that the importance of appropriate licensure of individuals practising medicine in British Columbia is foundational to the college’s mandate to protect the public, and determined that a disciplinary outcome was appropriate,” the notice reads.