A new Health Professions and Occupations Act in British Columbia replaces the Health Professions Act to "streamline the process to regulate new health professions, provide stronger oversight, provide more consistent discipline across the professions, act in the public interest and protect patient care in the province, while also laying the groundwork to further reduce the total number of regulatory colleges.” Counselors and diagnostic and therapeutic professionals will now be regulated. The colleges for dietitians, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech and hearing professionals will be combined. The colleges for chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopathic physicians, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncturists will be combined. A new regulatory oversight body and an independent disciplinary tribunal will be created, as well as a reformed complaints process that takes into account cultural safety and humility.
October 26, 2022
