A New Brunswick doctor facing nine sexual assault charges is no longer allowed to treat women and girls at facilities belonging to Atlantic Canada's second-largest health-care provider.

When Dr. Alan Cockeram, 60, was charged with one count of sexual assault last summer, Horizon Health Network said he wouldn't be allowed to treat female patients without another staff member in attendance.

On Tuesday, Cockeram was slapped with eight more sexual assault charges, all involving female patients at his private clinic in Saint John, NB, some dating back as far as 1987.

In light of this news, the health authority has banned Cockeram from treating females under any circumstances.

"Though Dr. Cockeram is not an employee of Horizon Health Network, he does have privileges with Horizon. While these complaints do not relate to his hospital practice, we believe it is important that the public is aware of the situation and feel we have taken the appropriate measures to ensure patient safety," Horizon said in a statement issued Wednesday.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick will decide next week whether to suspend the doctor's medical licence.