Regulators: regulated health professions
Regulators oversee the registration, licensing and practice of healthcare professionals where the care provided poses significant risk to clients and patients.
The Regulated Health Professions Act became law in November 2023. Professions are being migrated to the act through the creation of profession-specific regulations. All regulators will be migrated to the act.
The registration and licensing process of the regulator ensures that professionals are properly trained, qualified and adhere to regulatory standards. Working in these regulated professions and using the title of a profession without being licensed is a criminal offense.
Regulators are ethically and legally obligated to prioritize the interests of clients, patients and the public over the profession's interests.
Some regulators oversee more than one profession (for example, audiologists and speech language pathologists are registered and licensed by the same regulator).
Health profession regulator role
Regulators:
- set and enforce standards of competence and ethical conduct required for registration and practice
- evaluate education and training programs to ensure they equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge
- maintain a searchable public register
- investigate complaints about registrants and determine if they should continue practicing or have their licence revoked (temporarily or permanently), due to issues with conduct or competence
Regulators are not professional associations. They don’t:
- advocate to government about higher pay and salaries or for government to hire more people from that profession
- provide membership benefits or programs
Find a health profession regulator
Health profession regulators are legislated to operate in Nova Scotia under the purview of the Department of Health and Wellness.
File a complaint
Each health profession regulator in Nova Scotia has processes and resources to help you address your concerns. Generally, you will be asked for the following information: what happened, when and where the incident occurred, who was involved and how you were affected.
You will find contact information and a description of the respective complaint procedures for each regulator on their website.
Propose a new licence
Self-regulation and licensure are privileges granted by the government. A profession must apply under the government’s Self-Regulated Professions Guidelines and Policy for a new licence to be established. The Department of Health and Wellness assesses submissions and determines merit.
When a proposal is made, Department of Health and Wellness will carry out an in-depth analysis of the impacts of licensure on public safety and the proposed scope of practice and licensing categories.
To qualify for a new licence, a profession must:
- have a clear, definable scope of practice based on established competencies
- provide services that involve significant risks of harm (physical or psychological) to patients and clients if practiced unsafely or incompetently that can't be mitigated through alternative means (like employer practices or care models)
The profession must also demonstrate:
- adequate resources for self-regulation
- a clear understanding of the responsibilities and duties of self-regulation
Self-regulation and licensure isn’t intended to affirm or enhance the profession’s status or to facilitate access to private insurance systems.