Health Professions and Occupations Act

Update: HPOA comes into force April 1, 2026; additional regulatory changes announced

New government regulations confirm that the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) will come into force on April 1, 2026. The Ministry of Health has also:

• Announced amendments to scope of practice of other health professions, limits or conditions of practice, and reserved titles.
• Added other professions (clinical perfusionists, respiratory therapists, radiation therapists and medical laboratory technologists) to those regulated by the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons (effective November 29, 2027).
• Indicated that Physician Assistants will also become licensees of the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Doctors of BC is working to understand the specifics and significance of these new changes introduced through the regulations and their impact on physicians. We will continue to communicate that to you as we learn more. 

Communications from the President

• President's Letter, July 31: Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) to come into force April 1, 2026 
• HPOA: Update on Doctors of BC’s strategic response, July 4
• HPOA update: Resources for member input, May 15
• Doctors of BC Letter to the Minister of Health, April 10
• President's Letter, April 11: Share your input: Health Professions and Occupations Act bylaw consultation
• President’s Letter, February 28: Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA) Bylaw Consultations

About the HPOA

To support your understanding of the HPOA and its implications, please see:

• A one-page summary highlighting the areas where we see value and those of concern 
• A more in-depth analysis of key components of the HPOA

Town Hall

We will host a virtual town hall to help you understand and respond to the evolving consultation content.

Analysis of College Consultations

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC is also seeking feedback on draft bylaws it has developed regarding the HPOA. 

To reduce this burden and support members in better understanding what the draft bylaws mean to doctors, Doctors of BC is reviewing and analyzing materials from College consultations to highlight the changes and potential areas of concern.

College consultations are grouped into 16 sections and are being released in four batches. Physicians can also share their feedback directly with the College.

Group 1: March 3–April 30, 2025
Consultation focus: the CPSBC Board, Committees, CPSBC Records and Information, Permits, and Professional Responsibilities.

• Summary of draft bylaws under the first consultation
• Full analysis of draft bylaws under the first consultation

Group 2: April 4–May 30, 2025
Consultation focus: Blood-Borne Communicable Diseases, Health Monitoring, Licensure, and Quality Assurance.

• Summary of draft bylaws under the second consultation
• Full analysis of draft bylaws under the second consultation

Group 3: June 2–July 31, 2025 
Consultation focus: Accreditation, College Administration, Delegation, General, Interpretation, Public Protection, and Support Programs.

• Summary of draft bylaws under the third consultation
• Full analysis of draft bylaws under the third consultation

Group 4: July 2–August 31, 2025 
Consultation focus: Delegation, Support Programs

• Summary of draft bylaws under the fourth consultation
• Full analysis of draft bylaws under the fourth consultation

We were first informed of possible changes to the Health Professions Act in 2019 when the Cayton Report was released. Since that time, Doctors of BC has advocated on behalf of BC’s physicians with the Ministry of Health, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and other health colleges, as well as kept members updated on the impending changes.

2023

• To support members’ understanding of the changes and the impact on physicians, we held a town hall webinar in which government staff outlined the reasons for the Health Professions and Occupations Act and explained what it means for doctors; this was followed by a discussion with Doctors of BC leaders on the next steps to effectively advocate on behalf of the profession. View the Health Professions and Occupations Act webinar summary.
• We actively voiced our concerns about the process and lack of physician engagement and input in the media, stating the “process matters as much as the outcome, and many physicians have been blindsided by a process they weren’t fully informed about."

2022

• We shared our concerns and our position on the Act with members via a President’s Letter.

2020

• We provided further input during government’s second round of engagement and consultation prior to the introduction of the HPOA: Submission of January 24, 2020.

2019

• We provided input during the first round of engagement and consultation prior to the introduction of the HPOA: Submission of June 14, 2019.