Message From the Registrar
Why is it that more than one profession can perform similar activities such as dysphagia management, mental health support, or physical assessment?
A regulation creates a legally enforceable rule, established by a governing agency such as the Ministry of Health. Regulations define who may practise a health profession, what titles may be used, and a scope of practice statement that broadly describes what a profession may do.
Regulations may contain other details depending on the jurisdiction, such as any activities authorized to the profession. Regulations are part of the legal framework under which professions may operate to support patient safety and the public interest.
Restricted activities are higher risk activities authorized to a profession. The Ministry of Health provides a table of all prescribed restricted activities that can be performed by specific health and care professionals in the Regulated Health Practitioners Regulation. For example, some professions may be authorized to give injections or order imaging. Restricted activities are not exclusive to one profession and may be granted as “full” (the entirety of the activity), “partial” (for a specific purpose only or under specific conditions), or “certified” (after completing additional education and training as prescribed by the College).
Other aspects of regulations are straightforward and well understood, such as title. The restricted activities and exclusive titles that apply to CHCPBC licensees can be found in the Health and Care Professionals Regulation. For example, a licensee in the psychology profession may use the title “psychologist.”
What is less understood is scope of practice. Scope of practice is one practical output of a regulation; it describes what a profession can generally do. The Health and Care Professionals Regulation contains a scope of practice statement for each of the professions regulated by CHCPBC. Scope is also reflected in our College’s Ethics and Practice Standards, which require licensees to practise within the bounds of their scope of practice.
Scope of practice is not meant to be exclusive, and here is where the confusion starts. As stated by the Ministry, BC has a shared scope of practice model for regulated health professions. This is intended to enable interprofessional practice, team-based care, and to balance public safety and consumer choice.
Many professions overlap in practice—especially as interdisciplinary teams evolve and health professions share roles and responsibilities. Employers can further narrow scope through policy (e.g., a hospital might not let a new grad do a procedure even if they are licensed to perform the activity).
The concepts described above are intended as general information about how the regulations and scope of practice apply to the professions we regulate. If you have questions about your scope, related concepts such as certified practice, or delegation of restricted activities, see the additional resources listed below. You can also contact CHCPBC practice advisors.
Resources
