The Speech and Hearing Health Professionals Regulation outlines the scopes of practice for all RAUDs, RHIPs, and RSLPs in BC.

“Scope of practice” refers to the activities that CSHBC registrants are educated and authorized to perform, as established through the legislated definitions of “audiology”, “hearing instrument dispensing”, and speech-language pathology” in section 1 of the Regulation:

“audiology” means the health profession in which a person provides, for the purposes of promoting and maintaining communicative, auditory and vestibular health, the services of assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of

(a) auditory and related communication disorders and conditions, and

(b) peripheral and central auditory system dysfunction and related peripheral and central vestibular system dysfunction;

“hearing instrument dispensing” means the health profession in which a person provides the services of

(a) assessment of hearing using an audiometer, or other methods, to identify hearing loss, and

(b) recommending, selecting, preparing, altering, adapting, verifying, selling and offering to sell hearing instruments;

“speech-language pathology” means the health profession in which a person provides, for the purposes of promoting and maintaining communicative health, the services of assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of

(a) speech, language and related communication disorders and conditions, and

(b) vocal tract dysfunction, including related feeding and swallowing disorders;

The scope of practice for Registered Audiologists (RAUDs) involves the assessment, diagnosis, and intervention of audiological communication disorders, delays, and differences across the human lifespan. RAUDs provide services in public health and other government agencies, hospitals, and through private practice.

The scope of practice for Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioners (RHIPs) involves the assessment, intervention, and dispensing of hearing instruments for people 16 years and older who have hearing loss. RHIPs provide services through private practice.

The scope of practice for Registered Speech-Language Pathologists (RSLPs) involves the assessment, diagnosis, and intervention of speech communication disorders, delays, and differences across the human lifespan. RSLPs provide services in school districts, child development centres, public health and other government agencies, hospitals, and through private practice.

Reporting unlawful practice and/or unlawful reserved title use

Anyone who is aware of a non-registrant conducting unlawful practice and/or unlawfully using a reserved title may inform the College by submitting a complaint to CSHBC. For information, see Making a Complaint About Unlawful Practice & Unlawful Use of a Reserved Title.