News release

New Legislation Standardizes Regulated Bodies for Health Providers, Improves Protections for Patients

Health and Wellness

NOTE: A list of legislation that will be replaced by the Regulated Health Professions Act follows this release.

The Province is creating consistency across healthcare professions in Nova Scotia and making it easier to respond to future changes in their fields.

The Regulated Health Professions Act, introduced today, October 12, will eventually replace 21 acts currently in place for self-regulated healthcare professions. The Naturopathic Doctors Act and the Medical Professional Corporations Act will be repealed.

“This legislation will better protect patients and allow these professions to quickly and efficiently update their rules and address issues in the future,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thomspon. “We will work closely with healthcare providers over the next two years to establish their individual regulations under the new act.”

The new act provides a foundation for each profession by standardizing rules and processes. Each profession will continue to have its own regulations that address the unique requirements of their fields in areas such as scope of practice, entry to practice, and licence categories.

Once passed, work will begin in phases with each regulatory body to develop specific regulations for their profession. The first group is expected to be completed by winter 2024, with all 21 acts replaced by the end of 2026.

This legislation brings Nova Scotia in line with most other provinces in Canada, which have already adopted similar legislation for regulated health professions.

Quick Facts:

  • seven other Canadian provinces have similar overarching legislation that governs self-regulated healthcare professions
  • this act addresses recommendations from the Mass Casualty Commission by supporting smaller regulatory bodies to amalgamate to share resources, improve oversight and update mandates to proactively address misconduct

Additional Resources:

Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-64-session-1

Legislation to be replaced:

  • Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists Act
  • Chiropractic Act
  • Counselling Therapists Act
  • Dental Act
  • Dental Hygienists Act
  • Dental Technicians Act
  • Denturists Act
  • Dietitians Act
  • Dispensing Opticians Act
  • Medical Act
  • Medical Laboratory Technology Act
  • Medical Professional Corporations Act
  • Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Professionals Act -- Midwifery Act
  • Naturopathic Doctors Act
  • Nursing Act
  • Occupational Therapists Act
  • Optometry Act
  • Paramedics Act
  • Pharmacy Act
  • Physiotherapy Act
  • Psychologists Act
  • Respiratory Therapists Act

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