Message from the Registrar
Profession-specific standards, codes of ethics, and codes of conduct established by legacy colleges are retired as of April 1
April 1 was a momentous day for the regulation of health professions in our province. Among the changes that took effect with the transition to the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) was the introduction of Ethics and Practice Standards. The Standards apply to all professions regulated by CHCPBC, establishing the minimum level of performance required of licensees to ensure ethical and safe care for the public.
Within the Ethics and Practice Standards you will find a code of ethics, and 15 individual practice standards. Note that the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, and Anti-Racism standard that was in place for all professions prior to April 1 remains.
Strengthening public protection and addressing gaps
Prior to April 1, there were multiple legacy standards in place, which resulted in inconsistencies across the professions and made it difficult for the public to understand the College’s expectations for practice. We heard that from the public perspective, it was important to align our standards.
Having harmonized standards is consistent with our strategic goal of strengthening public protection through a unified regulatory approach that promotes consistency across professions while honouring profession-specific distinctions. We have also addressed any gaps that existed between legacy standards and the requirements of HPOA standards.
For the most part, we do not expect the Ethics and Practice standards to change practice significantly. However, there are some exceptions, such as record retention periods for some professions. Previously, the record retention periods varied across the professions, whereas all professions are now held to a 16-year retention period. Where differences arise, the Ethics and Practice Standards under the HPOA always prevail.
Ethics and Practice Standards informed by your feedback
Thank you to all who provided feedback on the harmonized Ethics and Practice Standards through our survey. We received 1,393 detailed responses from representatives from each of the professions CHCPBC regulates and across all practice settings. Respondents represented the lifespan of the professions, from those who have been in practice for fewer than three years, to those who have been practising for more than 30 years. Across all the standards, between 92% and 97% felt the entire standard “completely” or “mostly” described the minimum standard for safe, ethical, and effective care or service.
That said, this strong general approval did not hold respondents back from making suggestions for improvement. We collected thousands of discrete pieces of advice.
Apart from the specific recommendations made, we heard that respondents wanted simpler language, greater clarity, and more accommodation for different practice settings. We made hundreds of changes with these improvements in mind.
The Ethics and Practice Standards have been substantially revised since the version that was circulated for consultation. Respondents will see places throughout the Standards where their suggestions were directly incorporated or where issues they raised were addressed.
If you were one of the respondents to the survey, thank you. Your efforts and attention are critical to our work and we appreciate the time you took.
Supporting licensees to apply the standards in practice
Within the survey responses, we heard that many respondents are seeking greater detail about what is expected of them. Some professions will notice there is reduced detail as compared with your legacy standards – this supports professional judgment and aligns with right-touch regulation.
We encourage licensees to review the webinar recording about the Ethics and Practice standards.
Planning is underway for additional webinars that will be targeted for specific groups of professionals. As with our previous webinars, your questions and feedback will be used to guide our content.
Anyone with questions about the application of the harmonized Ethics and Practice Standards is welcome to contact CHCPBC’s Practice Advisors at practicesupport@chcpbc.org.
Dianne Millette
Registrar & CEO
