Health Professions Advisory Council

The Health Professions Advisory Council (HPAC) inquires into and advises the Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care on matters related to The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), including referrals made by the Minister of applications for designation as a self-regulating profession under the RHPA.

The Lieutenant Governor in Council appoints members of HPAC. In formulating its advice to the Minister, HPAC seeks information and comment from members of the public, stakeholders, health profession regulatory colleges and health organizations, and conducts research and engages persons or organizations with technical and subject matter expertise.

The members of the Health Professions Advisory Council are:

  • Susan Boulter (Chairperson)
  • Sherwood Armbruster
  • Susan Lockhart
  • Denys Volkov
  • Chris Goertzen

The RHPA sets out criteria that HPAC is to consider in investigating an application. For information on the established criteria, please see the Application Process for Requests under The Regulated Health Professions Act (Appendix 1 Questionnaire to be completed by professions seeking regulation under The Regulated Health Professions Act). Following completion of its review, HPAC will submit its report with recommendations to the Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care in accordance with the RHPA.

Reports

Minister Receives Report on Health Professions Advisory Council Review of the Performance of "High Neck Manipulation" by Regulated Health Professionals

The Health Professions Advisory Council has completed its review of the performance of “high neck manipulation” by regulated health professionals and submitted its report to the Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care. 

The Council found that:

On the whole, the material provided to the Council does not generate sufficiently definitive or conclusive evidence which would lead to a prohibition of the performance by regulated health professionals of “high neck manipulation” as part of the larger Reserved Act. The evidence does indicate, however, that the performance of “high neck manipulation” or cervical spine manipulation does present a risk of harm to patients. This risk of harm must be understood by both the patient and the practitioner.

Both the jurisprudence review and the research literature review point to the need for the following actions to mitigate the risk of harm associated with the performance of cervical spine manipulation:

  • Action One: Ensure that the patient provides written informed consent prior to initiating treatment which includes a discussion about the risk associated with cervical spine manipulation.
  • Action Two: Provide patients with information to assist in the early recognition of a serious adverse event.

The Minister has accepted the Council’s findings.

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