Prominent Brampton physician Dr. Brian Thicke, who is facing a discipline hearing for allegedly sexually abusing a patient, has agreed not to see patients unless in the presence of a chaperone approved by Ontario’s medical regulator.

According to his profile on the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), Thicke, 88, signed an undertaking that took effect Jan. 23 barring him from being alone with patients.

Thicke, grandfather of singer Robin Thicke and father of the late actor Alan Thicke, retains an active licence to practise medicine. He is facing a public discipline hearing at the CPSO for allegedly sexually abusing Lisa Fruitman by groping her breasts in 1993 and 1995. A date for the hearing has not yet been set.

Since the Star began reporting on Thicke last year, other women, including a nurse and other former patients, have come forward to allege being groped by the long-time doctor. Some of them have since filed their own complaints with the CPSO, which has confirmed Thicke is under investigation in addition to the Fruitman case.

None of the allegations against Thicke have been proven, and his lawyer has previously said Thicke has no comment on the allegations as his case is before the CPSO.

In the undertaking, which doctors have entered into in the past when their cases are referred to the discipline committee, Thicke acknowledges that the condition that his encounters with patients be monitored by a health professional remain in force until his case has been dealt with by the committee.

“I understand that I must not be alone with any patient, for any length of time, during any professional encounter, whether or not the parent or guardian of the patient is also present,” according to the undertaking.

Thicke is also required to post a sign in all waiting and examination rooms indicating that he must be monitored by a health professional.

Health Minister Eric Hoskins announced last week that in the wake of the Star’s investigation, he was invoking special powers to probe how the CPSO handled complaints against doctors in the mid-1990s.

As the Star previously reported, a complaint about an inappropriate breast exam by Thicke was forwarded to the CPSO by Peel police in 1994. The file was closed at the CPSO in 1995 “on manager’s approval,” and the regulator has said legislation prevents it from saying more about it.