People living in British Columbia (BC) will experience enhanced health care if there is consistent delivery of occupational therapy services across the province. Occupational therapists in BC fulfill their promise to provide safe, ethical and effective care by maintaining and improving their professional competence to meet or exceed established provincial standards. COTBC is responsible for delivering a Quality Assurance Program* that supports and monitors continued competence. Monitoring competence is one way in which the College honours the privilege of self-regulation and meets its mandate to protect the public’s interest.
The program includes three elements:
- Continuing Competence
- Competence Assessment
- Competence Improvement
Continuing Competence is an ongoing process in which occupational therapists engage in activities to maintain and/or enhance their competence and expertise. The College supports this process through the Annual Continuing Competence Review (ACCR).
Requirement: To meet the continuing competence requirements for registration renewal, all occupational therapists in the practising and provisional registrant categories must complete the ACCR each year. Optional learning modules and webinars will be available to assist occupational therapists to maintain their competence.
Competence Assessment and Competence Improvement
In consideration of the Quality Assurance Committee’s on-going work in evaluating and further developing the Competence Assessment component of the QAP Framework, as well as the proposed changes related to the B.C. Ministry of Health’s modernization of health professional regulation, the College has decided to defer the administration of the 2022 Continuing Competence Exam at this time. Registrants can expect to receive further communications from the College regarding changes to the QAP Framework as decisions are made.
*Amendments to the Health Professions Act in 2008 increased the College’s responsibility to monitor continued competence triggering changes to the program wherein OTs could demonstrate competence.
updated August 4, 2017