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Roles and responsibilities under the Health Professions and Occupations Act

Publication date: April 1, 2026

Under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA), several partners play a role in and support B.C.’s health profession regulatory framework.

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Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health (the ministry) has overall responsibility for ensuring that quality, appropriate, cost effective and timely health services are available for all British Columbians. The minister of health is responsible for several pieces of health legislation (including the HPOA).

The minister of health is authorized under the HPOA to define the scope of practice, restricted activities and other requirements in profession specific regulations (such as designation regulations under the HPOA).

The ministry does not have the authority to initiate or intervene in an investigation of a complaint regarding the conduct of regulated health professionals, which is the role of a regulatory college. Nor can the ministry review an appeal of a regulatory college decision, which is the role of the Health Professions Review Board. 

Health Professions and Occupations Regulatory Oversight Office (Oversight Office) 

The Oversight Office is an independent oversight body established under the HPOA. 

Its 5 main responsibilities include:

  • Overseeing regulatory colleges through audits, investigations and systemic reviews
  • Receiving complaints about the six regulatory colleges and the HPOA
  • Recommending regulatory college board members to the minister of health
  • Conducting designation assessments on whether a new health profession or occupation should be regulated under the HPOA 
  • Housing the discipline tribunal, which independently oversees the discipline process for regulated health professions in B.C.

For more information on the Oversight Office, please visit the Oversight Office website.

Regulatory colleges

The regulatory colleges license and oversee regulated health professions (licensees) in the public interest. They operate at arm’s length from government and establish, monitor, and enforce standards of practice, codes of ethics and limits and conditions for the professions they govern. 

Key functions include:

  • Licensing of regulated health professionals
  • Receiving complaints and conducting investigations into licensees’ misconduct 
  • Conducting quality assurance processes
  • Overseeing continuing professional education and competence for safe practice 
  • Maintaining a register of licensees that the public can access

Health occupation directors

Health occupation directors are a new position created under the HPOA to regulate designated health occupations. Currently, there are no designated health occupations under the HPOA.

Health Professions Review Board (HPRB)

The HPRB is a review body that is independent from the regulatory colleges, government and courts. 

The HPRB can review:

  • The reasonableness of how a regulatory colleges’ registrar dealt with a complaint against a respondent
  • Adverse licensing decisions made by the regulatory colleges’ license committee

To find out more, please visit the HPRB website.

Employers

Employers (for example, health authorities) develop workplace policies and procedures to help health professionals deliver safe services.

These include:

  • Identifying any additional training requirements
  • Ensuring there are appropriate authorizing mechanisms for the delegation of restricted activities.

Learn more about authorizing mechanisms for delegating restricted activities under the HPOA.

Licensees

Licensees (formerly known as registrants under the HPA) need to meet HPOA and college requirements to be licensed in B.C. 

Licensees must:

  • Practice safely, competently and ethically
  • Adopt cultural safety and anti-discrimination principles
  • Report serious harm and misconduct
  • Follow regulatory college’s bylaws, standards, limits and conditions
  • Follow workplace policies set by their employer

Other organizations

Some organizations support health professionals but do not have duties or powers under the HPOA:

Professional associations

Health profession associations primarily:

  • Represent its members and advocate on their behalf
  • Help members learn about emerging areas of professional interest or career opportunities
  • Organize networking events

Unions

Unions:

  • Negotiate for their members through collective bargaining
  • Advocate for members. This includes addressing workplace grievances, safe work environments and wages
  • Offer training and education opportunities for members