Recommendations to Modernize the Provincial Health Profession Regulatory Framework: Steering Committee on Modernization of Health Professional Regulation August 2020 is attached.
Click to Read Entire Document: Recommendations-to-modernize-regulatory-framework
Pay particular attention to pages 11-13 and 17. The following is an excerpt from pages 11, 12 and 17
“Creation of two new umbrella colleges. The consultation paper released in November 2019 suggested the creation of a large multi-profession regulator referred to as the College of Health and Care Professions, similar to the Health and Care Professions Council in the United Kingdom.20 It was proposed that the College of Health and Care Professions would bring together 11 regulatory colleges, as well as the diagnostic and therapeutic professions.
The results of phase two of public consultation indicated support for a reduction in the number of regulatory colleges in principle, but not the specific approach proposed in the consultation paper. Creation of a College of Health and Care Professions was the least supported proposal contained in the consultation paper. Many respondents suggested that it would be difficult for a single body to properly regulate such a large number of professions with a wide range of scopes of practice and differing philosophies of care.
Many submissions indicated support for six instead of five regulatory colleges. Submissions suggested different criteria be applied to determine which regulators should amalgamate. The steering committee remains committed to reducing the number of regulators in a manner that addresses current resource challenges, improves regulatory effectiveness and creates new economies of scale. It is believed that these objectives can continue to be met and many of the concerns identified in written submissions can be best addressed by splitting the College of Health and Care Professions into two smaller umbrella colleges.
Based on feedback received during the second consultation, the steering committee has reviewed their proposal and recommends the College of Health and Care Professions be split into the following umbrella colleges:
- One of the umbrella regulatory colleges, which will tentatively be referred to as the Regulatory College of Allied Health and Care Professionals, should include: dietitians, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech and hearing professionals, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic professions in the future.
- The second umbrella regulatory college, which will be tentatively referred to as the Regulatory College of Complementary and Alternative Health and Care Professionals, should regulate: chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists” (p..11).
Feedback received during the second consultation also supported the regulation of unregulated diagnostic and therapeutic professions. Prior to the release of the Cayton report, cabinet approved the creation of a diagnostic and therapeutic professions regulatory college to oversee respiratory therapists, radiation therapists, clinical perfusionists and medical laboratory technologists. As discussed on page 11, these four health professions should be regulated by the Regulatory College of Allied Health and Care Professionals (p.17).
“Given the current commitment to a reduction in the number of regulatory colleges, it is recommended that any new health professions be regulated by an existing regulatory college or by the Regulatory College of Allied Health and Care Professionals, the Regulatory College of Complementary and Alternative Health and Care Professionals, or the oral health regulatory college.” ( P.12).
