Province Introduces Acts to Support Regulated Health Professionals.
Legislation introduced today, September 5, will help ensure consistency in the oversight of regulated health professions in Nova Scotia.
It establishes the new Nova Scotia Dental Association Act and Nova Scotia Optometrist Association Act so these organizations can continue to function legally and represent their members following implementation of the Regulated Health Professions Act, introduced during the fall 2023 House of Assembly session.
“Modernizing and improving healthcare means looking at all of the ways we can make the system run better for both patients and providers,” said Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness. “These changes will help move the important work of implementing the new and modern Regulated Health Professions Act forward without disrupting the important ongoing work of these associations.”
The Regulated Health Professions Act will eventually replace 21 acts related to self-regulated healthcare professionals, including the Dental Act and Optometry Act.
It received royal assent on November 9, 2023.
Quick Facts:
- the Dental Act is in the first phase of acts to be replaced, with a target date of January 2025
- the Optometry Act is in the third and last phase of acts to be replaced, with a target date of September 2026
Additional Resources:
Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-64-session-1
News release – New Legislation Standardizes Regulated Bodies for Health Providers, Improves Protections for Patients: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/10/12/new-legislation-standardizes-regulated-bodies-health-providers-improves-protections
Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare: https://actionforhealth.novascotia.ca/
Source : Provincial Release
