Ethics and Practice Standards

In June 2024, the amalgamation of seven BC health profession regulatory colleges—part of a BC Government initiative to modernize health profession regulation in British Columbia—led to the creation of the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia (CHCPBC).

CHCPBC is broadly mandated to serve and protect the public from harm and discrimination under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA). As a health profession regulatory college, we ensure that the health and care professionals (licensees) in the nine professions CHCPBC regulates (audiologists, dietitians, hearing instrument practitioners, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists) have the competencies needed to practise and adhere to the ethics and practice standards that support safe and ethical care.

At the time of amalgamation, the standards of practice and ethical requirements from the “legacy” colleges remained in place for the nine regulated health professions. CHCPBC recognized the need to address the inconsistencies and discrepancies that existed between the various legacy college standards and to ensure the requirements for practice and ethical standards in the HPOA be met.

This led to the development of the Ethics and Practice Standards, which harmonize the codes of ethics and standards of practice for all nine professions through the lens of the HPOA. The development of the Ethics and Practice Standards was informed by the expertise of many individuals and bodies, including healthcare providers on staff, the Professional Practice and Standards Advisory Committee, the BC Health Regulators Indigenous Engagement Group, and members of the public and licensees who took part in our broad consultation.

The Ethics and Practice Standards also give effect to the Guiding Principles for college under the HPOA (s. 14), which are to protect the public from harm and discrimination; to support and promote awareness of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the need to address racism and anti-racism issues that are specific to Indigenous Peoples; to take and promote antidiscrimination measures; and to act in a procedurally fair manner that is respectful of the privacy of persons who participate in regulatory processes.

The HPOA also requires licensees, when providing health services, to act in accordance with the principles of protecting the public from harm and discrimination, taking antidiscrimination measures, and acting in a manner that is respectful of the privacy of patients (s. 72(1)).

These HPOA principles apply throughout the Ethics and Practice Standards, whether they are explicitly referenced or not.

The Ethics and Practice Standards establish the minimum standards that a licensee must meet in relation to their professional conduct and any off-duty conduct that has a sufficient nexus to their profession.

The Code of Ethics outlines the ethical framework for professional conduct and decision making in all practice contexts. Licensees should also look to the Code of Ethics to guide proper decision making where the HPOA, Regulations, CHCPBC Bylaws, and Practice Standards are silent on a matter.

The Practice Standards set out the expected minimum achievable level of performance and conduct that a licensee must meet in the practice of their designated health profession. The Practice Standards are designed to provide clear, actionable expectations for professional conduct and care that apply in all practice settings and health service modalities, including remote or virtual delivery of health services.

While the Ethics and Practice Standards apply to all licensees, one may find that certain Standards address circumstances that do not arise in their profession and/or practice context. Meanwhile, several Standards (for example, Communications) are applicable in every aspect of a licensee’s practice. The Standards are meant to be understood in integration with each other, and licensees should consider how the Standards work together to support delivery of quality care.

In applying the Ethics and Practice Standards, licensees may also look to College-issued publications and resources, which are intended to support professional judgment and decision making. In appropriate circumstances, a licensee’s consideration of and alignment with relevant guidance may be taken into account in assessing adherence to the Standards.

Licensees are responsible for regularly reviewing the Ethics and Practice Standards, which will be updated from time to time, to ensure that they remain in compliance with the requirements set out in this document.