Quality Assurance Program

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Developing a new Quality
Assurance Program (QAP)

The College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC) is moving forward with the development of a modernized and unified approach to a Quality Assurance Program (QAP). This program will support quality practice of more than 16,000 health and care professionals in nine professions and will be consistent with the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) when it is brought into force.

Read the Fact Sheet: Direction for a Unified Quality Assurance Program (PDF)

The new QAP will aim to improve client/patient outcomes, and support health professionals’ learning and performance by:

Taking a unified approach to ensure consistency in public protection while reflecting profession-specific uniqueness;
Assessing, monitoring, and supporting health professionals’ individual and collaborative performance, which is central to the delivery of safe care and improved client/patient outcomes;
Including cultural safety and humility, health equity, and anti-discrimination initiatives;
Supporting the prevention of harm by proactively identifying and addressing risks to patients and professional competence;
Aligning with harmonized standards that will guide and inform QAP content; and,
Meet the expectations for Quality Assurance and the guiding principles in the HPOA.

The process for developing a modernized and unified QAP

CHPCBC began exploring a new approach to QAP in February 2025. The College commissioned a report titled the “QAP Ideas and Design Report” to gather information and input about the current state of QA programs across the nine professions and to provide recommendations for the design of a new evidence-based QA program. The report, which was approved in principle by the Board in June 2025, contains detailed evidence to inform planning for the design, development, and implementation of a new QAP. The QAP will include individual and collaborative care competencies that are central to the delivery of safe care and improved health and care outcomes for clients/patients and the public. The new QAP must also be equitable, feasible, and sustainable, while prioritizing patient safety by addressing risks to patients and risks to competence.

Read the QAP Ideas and Design Report - full report (PDF)

Read the QAP Ideas and Design Report - executive summary (PDF)

Transition to the new QAP

To facilitate the design of this new program, health professionals regulated by CHCPBC will not have to report their legacy QAP requirements to the College effective July 1, 2025 until December 31, 2025. Although the reporting of QAP requirements will not be required, registrants must practise within the scope of practice of their profession and actively maintain their individual skills and competencies.

CHCPBC acknowledges the importance of professional development as one tool to maintain skills and support the delivery of safe care. Health professionals are encouraged to participate in professional development activities that are focused on preventing patient/client harm and maintaining performance.

The new QAP will include guided self-reporting related to professional development. However, quantified continuing education (i.e., reporting continuing education hours) will not be required.

In 2026, registrants will participate in transitional activities that will introduce the new and unified approach. Details on these activities will be shared as soon as they are available.

The table below outlines the current QAP requirements that registrants do not need to report to the College effective July 1, 2025, by profession. Please note: occupational therapists must complete and report QAP activities for the current registration renewal period.

Profession	QA required Practice Hours (PHs)	QA required quantified continuing education	Additional requirements
Audiology	PHs	CCCs	n/a
Dietetics	n/a	n/a	CCP completion: Self-Assessment (Portfolio & Self-assessment relative to standards of practice) Professional Development Report
Hearing Instrument Dispensing	PHs	CCCs	Practice Reviews
Occupational Therapy	n/a *Practice hours are a registration renewal requirement	n/a	ACCR completion: Practice reflection Professional Performance Quiz Learning & Development Goals Feedback Survey
Opticianry	n/a	n/a	CCP completion: Continuing Competency assessment for each area of practice Learning plan Achieve Learning Goals Reflection
Optometry	n/a	CEs	PEP completion: Self-Assessment Professional Development Plan Professional Development Plan Review Practice Assessments
Physical Therapy	n/a *Practice hours are a registration renewal requirement	n/a	ASR completion: Risks & Supports Review ASR Report
Psychology	n/a	Learning Activities	CCP completion: Practice Quiz Practice Review Questionnaire Self-Care & Self-Monitoring
Speech-Language Pathology	PHs	CCCs	Practice Reviews

QAP transformation: Frequently asked questions

General

1. Why is CHCPBC developing a new Quality Assurance Program (QAP)?

The College has the novel opportunity to develop a modernized and unified QAP. This program will support the quality practice of more than 16,000 health and care professionals in the nine professions and be consistent with the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) when it is brought into force. Additionally, we’ve heard from many health professionals who have expressed a need for greater consistency in how professions are regulated at CHCPBC. The movement towards a QAP that is aligned with current evidence and best practices is one example of the College’s efforts to harmonize programs and processes across the nine professions we regulate.

2. Do health professionals need to complete QAP requirements while the new program is in development?

From July 1 to December 31, 2025, registrants do not have to report their QAP activities to the College. While reporting of QAP activities is not required during this period, health professionals are strongly encouraged to continue to engage in professional development activities that are focused on preventing patient/client harm and maintaining performance. CHCPBC acknowledges the importance of professional development undertaken by health professionals as one tool to maintain skills and support the delivery of safe care.

3. Why does the College not require registrants to report QA activities between July 1 and December 31, 2025?

The removal of the requirement for registrants to report QAP activities is a necessary step to ensure that CHCPBC has the resources required to develop a new QAP that is evidence-based, unified across professions, and responsive to the quality assurance requirements in the HPOA.

4. How is the College ensuring that registrants are competent?

Although the reporting of QAP requirements will not be required, registrants must practise within the scope of practice of their profession and actively maintain their individual skills and competencies. CHCPBC is also in the process of planning transitional QAP activities for registrants as the College works to develop the new program.

5. What is informing the design of a new QAP?

The College commissioned a report (QAP Ideas and Design Report) to gather information and input about the current state of QA programs across the nine professions and to provide recommendations for the design of a new evidence-based QA program that is consistent across the professions. Profession-specific input was critical to the development of the report. Registrants from all nine professions and members of the Quality Assurance Committee were consulted to validate and provide feedback on the development of the report. CHCPBC acknowledges that the QAPs carried over from the legacy Colleges served an important purpose. Learnings and insights have been gleaned from these programs and have helped to inform the report and will help guide the development of a modernized and unified QAP.

For Registrants

1. What QA activities are impacted by the development of the new QAP?

Starting July 1, 2025, tracking and reporting continuing education hours or credits with specific targets (Quantified CEs/CCCs) or prescribed learning methods for that education are not required. Legacy QA requirements including self-reflection activities, portfolios, legacy “CCP” and practice quizzes, scheduled after July 1, 2025 (e.g., CCP, ASR, ACCR, PEP) are not required.

2. Do I need to report QAP activities within the current QAP cycle that occurred before July 1?

QAP activities already completed by audiologists, dietitians, hearing instrument practitioners, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists during the current QA cycle do not need to be reported to the College. Occupational therapists must complete and report QAP activities for the current registration renewal period.

3. Should I still attend continuing professional development courses?

Yes, registrants are strongly encouraged to complete continuing professional development that is focused on preventing patient/client harm and maintaining performance, though these activities do not need to be reported to the College. You may choose to continue to record your activities with the existing QAP platform for your own record keeping purposes. CHCPBC acknowledges the importance of professional development undertaken by health professionals as one tool to maintain skills and support the delivery of safe care.

4. Can I continue to report my QAP requirements to the College after July 1, 2025?

Yes, you may continue to report your legacy QAP activities as you normally do through your existing QAP platform. Some registrants find recording activities in the QAP platform is helpful when information is required for marketing, their CV, or applying to another jurisdiction. This reporting is for your benefit only. The College will not monitor or assess this reporting for compliance. Registrants may also choose to download records of past QAP activities for their files if they choose. Registrants will be notified in advance of any potential changes to accessing their portals.

5. What will this mean when I need to renew my registration, certifications, or restricted activities?

This change will not impact your ability to renew your registration, certifications, or restricted activity registrations if you have them. Any references to legacy QAP requirements in licensure programs are in the process of being identified and amended in preparation for the new QAP. Your scope of practice will not change. Registrants are encouraged to maintain their individual skills and competencies specific to certifications and restricted activities through ongoing professional development and recency of practice opportunities.

For more information

Questions about QAP requirements or development of the new QAP program can be submitted through the Contact Form by selecting “Quality Assurance” as the subject of enquiry.