Amendments Proposed for Three Health Acts

Health Minister Jamie Muir introduced three bills today to ensure that health professionals adopt a fair and consistent approach for resolving disciplinary issues.

Amendments to the existing Dental Act were tabled, as well as a new Psychologists Act and a new Denturist Act that will replace existing legislation for psychologists and denturists.

"Although each bill is distinct, the amendments I introduced today do have a common goal: to protect Nova Scotians by strengthening the disciplinary process within each health profession," said Mr. Muir. "With these amendments, Nova Scotians who have a complaint relating to a dentist, dental hygienist or dental assistant, a psychologist or a denturist will know that their concerns will be more efficiently and more appropriately dealt with as a result of these changes."

All three bills contain amendments to help protect the public through improved enforcement of standards by means of a disciplinary process consistent with other recently enacted health professions statutes, like the Medical Act, Physiotherapy Act and Occupational Therapists Act.

The amendments to the Dental Act allow the Provincial Dental Board to better enforce the standards they have in place, specifically the ability to respond to a wider range of complaints more effectively. The Dental Act covers dental hygienists and dental assistants, as well as dentists.

The amendments to the Psychologists Act will improve the disciplinary process of the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners of Psychologists so that they can better enforce the standards established by the board for their profession. The amendment will also define the practice of psychology so that the public is better aware of the scope of practice of a psychologist.

The amendments to the Denturist Act will improve the disciplinary process of the Denturist Licensing Board so that they can better enforce the standards established by the board for their profession.

Consumers will also benefit from proposed amendments to the Denturists Act related to a very specific expansion of the scope of practice of denturists. If the bill is passed, people who need removable partial dentures (RPD) will have a choice of where to obtain their RPD, a dentist or a denturist.

"We have worked closely with each health profession to make sure these amendments support their members and their respective professions," said Mr. Muir. "These proposed changes will benefit the public, and I want to thank staff and members of the Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology, the Denturist Licensing Board and the Nova Scotia Dental Association for their vital input as our staff worked to draft each amendment."