Standards of Practice: What’s new and what’s changing?

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Every physician and physician assistant practising in Alberta is responsible for understanding and adhering to CPSA’s Standards of Practice. Below are some updates from recent consultations—read on to find out how they impact you.

Continuing Competence & Restricted Activities

With the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2020 (No.2) currently scheduled for proclamation on March 31, 2023, CPSA’s new Continuing Competence standard and revised Restricted Activities (formerly Supervision Of Restricted Activities) standard will also go into effect. This does not change your practice. Requirements for continuing competence and restricted activities previously captured in the Physicians, Surgeons, Osteopaths and Physicians Assistants Regulation have simply been moved into our standards.

The Continuing Competence program manual, a resource to support physicians and physician assistants in understanding the requirements of CPSA’s Continuing Competence standard, will be available once the standard goes into effect.

Regulated members will receive an email with links to the manual and the standards prior to implementation—keep an eye on your inbox.

Consultation 025

At their February 2023 meeting, CPSA Council approved one new standard and revisions to two existing standards:

• As the provincial government’s Mental Health Services Protection Regulation has been in place since Oct. 5, 2022 (find out more about these legislative changes), CPSA’s revised Safe Prescribing for Opioid Use Disorders standard came into effect immediately following Council’s approval on Feb. 23. The Advice to the Profession document has also been updated.
• The updated Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) standard will reflect the status of Bill C-7. As the bill, including mental illness as a sole indication for MAID, has been tabled, the version of the standard that takes effect on March 17, 2023, will reflect the Criminal Code The updated Advice to the Profession will also be available when the standard takes effect.
• In response to the Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act, 2022 (formerly Bill 10), CPSA’s new Female Genital Mutilation standard will come into effect on May 1, 2023.

Our goal with any standard of practice is to ensure it provides clear, reasonable expectations, while Advice to the Profession documents help regulated members implement the standards in their practice. If you have any questions about the above, or any other standards, please email support@cpsa.ab.ca.