Laws and legislation
The College is governed by the Health Professions Act (HPA) and the Bylaws made under the Act. Here are relevant federal and provincial legislation that affect the practice of medicine in BC.
The Act
Health Professions Act
The Act is umbrella legislation that provides a common regulatory framework for health professions in British Columbia.
Regulations
Regulations are created by government for each individual health profession governed under the Act. Each regulation defines reserved titles, contains a statement about the scope of practice and outlines a set of restricted activities describing what members of that profession are authorized to do.
Health Professions General Regulation
Bylaws
Each regulatory college has its own bylaws. The bylaws set out the details of the operation of the organization, including: the duties and responsibilities of a governing board, committees and the registrar; qualifications for registration and licensing; the regulation of professional conduct and ethics; and fee schedules.
Health Professions Review Board
The Health Professions Review Board (HPRB) is an administrative tribunal made under the HPA to provide an independent review of certain decisions made by the College. This includes decisions regarding the registration of physicians and surgeons, and the timeliness and disposition of complaints made against College registrants.
Visit the HPRB website for more information or to submit an appeal.
BC Health Regulators
A complete list of BC's health professions governed by regulatory colleges under the Health Professions Act can be found on the Ministry of Health website.
Learn more about BC's regulated health professionals at www.bchealthregulators.ca.