Earlier today, the Ministry of Health outlined its proposal for modernizing B.C.’s health regulatory framework. This proposal came in response to recommendations made by Harry Cayton in his report, An Inquiry into the College of Dental Surgeons and the Health Professions Act, which was released in April 2019. The report, Modernizing the provincial health profession regulatory framework: A paper for consultation provides for proposed changes in four key themes:
- Improving governance: such as eliminating board elections and replacing them with a transparent, competency-based appointment process,
- Creating an independent oversight body to increase accountability and consistency of health regulatory colleges,
- Simplifying the complaints and discipline process to provide a clear focus on patient safety and public protection, and
- Reducing the number of regulatory colleges from twenty to five:
- Nurses and Midwives
- Physicians and Podiatric Surgeons
- Oral health professionals
- Pharmacists, and
- The remaining colleges under a single umbrella, “Health and Care Professions”
With the release of this report, the government is seeking input from the public, regulators and other stakeholders. The 45-day consultation period will run until January 10, and the COTBC will prepare our own response and recommendations for government.
We encourage registrants and stakeholders to review the report and share any comments with the COTBC Registrar &CEO, Kathy Corbett at kcorbett@cotbc.org
