Photo Courtesy: Province of British Columbia, Flickr

By CKPG Today

Report to modernize health profession regulatory system suggests shrinking number of regulatory colleges from 20 to six

Aug 27, 2020 | 12:10 PM

VICTORIA—A report to help modernize B.C.’s health profession regulatory system suggests reducing the number of regulatory colleges from 20 to six.

The recommendation to reduce the number of colleges, according to the Province, would improve efficiency and support the shift toward team-based care.

“We’re fully invested in the goal to put patients first and the implementation of these recommendations will help strengthen the regulatory colleges’ ability to deliver on their mandate to protect the public.”— Adrian Dix, Minister of Health and chair of the steering committee

Dix, and members of the steering committee, Norm Letnick, B.C. Liberal health critic, and Sonia Furstenau, BC Green health critic, reviewed feedback from the public, health professionals, regulators, associations, Indigenous partners, unions and health authorities to revise and finalize the recommendations.

The recommendations will be presented to the executive council for their consideration. If the members agree with the recommendations, legislation will be drafted and brought forward to the legislative assembly for consideration. If passed, amendments to the Health Professions Act will put into place the legislative framework required for their implementation.

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“We’re impressed with the level of feedback and have considered all recommendations carefully as we propose changes for better care.”—Norm Letnick, B.C. Liberal health critic

A new oversight body will be created to oversee the colleges and report out publicly on their progress. A new complaints process is being recommended to ensure fairness of investigations and the oversight body will be taking over the role of discipline to ensure the penalties are consistent and fair across professions and colleges. These actions will serve the dual goals of increasing oversight and transparency.

Health regulation plays a roll in the B.C. by setting and enforcing the standards of professional behaviour, competence and ethics that support the interactions patients and the public have on a day-to-day basis with health professionals. Harry Cayton, former chief executive of the United Kingdom’s Professional Standards Authority, was tasked to conduct the review.