BC Health Regulators Report on Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility

A new BCHR report on the achievements since signing the Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility is available for College registrants and members of the public.

BCHR signed the declaration on March 1, 2017, in the Regulation of Health Professionals with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). This affirmed BCHR’s commitment to integrating Cultural Safety and Humility into professional education and practice standards that are needed to ensure public safety and high-quality services.

The declaration from BCHR followed a commitment made by BC’s Ministry of Health and all six health authorities when they signed on to the first Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility in Health Services with FNHA in 2015.

This report reflects the shared progress towards ‘hardwiring’ Cultural Safety and Humility into the operations and practices of the BCHR.

The BCHR is a non-profit organization that provides an administrative foundation for twenty-one health regulatory bodies (including COTBC) to come together to collaborate and share best practices in health regulation.

Under the Health Professions Act, health regulators are legally mandated to serve and protect the public by establishing, monitoring and enforcing standards of practice to enhance the quality of practice and reduce incompetent, impaired or unethical practice amongst registrants.

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): Considerations for Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists work across the continuum of the lifespan. This includes providing occupational therapy services for clients who are receiving end-of-life care. In order to enable clients to make informed decisions, occupational therapists must be able to provide accurate, objective information in a respectful and thoughtful manner on the legal provision of MAiD.

The College’s new Advisory Statement is intended to be a helpful resource in supporting the public and occupational therapists in navigating the evolving legislative landscape and clarifying the scope of occupational therapy practice with respect to MAiD in British Columbia.

The College welcomes your feedback regarding the Advisory Statement through a short survey. The survey is available to everyone until August 14, 2020.