BC’s Health Professions Act mandates that CSHBC protect the public interest by regulating the professions of audiology, hearing instrument dispensing, and speech-language pathology to ensure that registrants deliver safe, ethical, and effective care.
The Board of Directors would like to inform registrants about recent events of concern and current circumstances affecting the College’s operations.
- On March 18, 2020, the CSHBC Registration Committee passed an emergency resolution to allow registrants to pay 2020/2021 renewal fees under an installment plan to assist them in meeting the financial challenges of practice disruptions related to COVID-19.
- For registrants who elected to pay by installment, due dates were June 30 and August 31. Registrants were informed that failure to meet payment deadlines would result in cancellation of registration. CSHBC Bylaws did not allow for grace and/or reinstatement periods under an emergency installment plan.
- Between March 20 and June 22, the College informed all registrants via several emails and website posts about the installment plan and the consequences of missing the deadlines.
- The Board passed a resolution at a July 10 special meeting exercising an emergency power under Ministerial Order M098 (effective during the COVID-19 crisis) to extend the deadline for the first installment payment from June 30 to July 31. This resolution was introduced solely in the public interest, to minimize the impact on patient/client care during the extraordinary pandemic circumstances. The College reversed registration cancellations for those who had failed to meet the June 30 installment deadline.
The Board gratefully acknowledges that the vast majority of registrants fulfilled their professional responsibility by paying their fees on time despite the current challenges.
- On June 29, the new bylaws related to the practice hours requirement came into effect. Registrants had received Information regarding this requirement starting in 2019. The Board fully supports this requirement as a condition to practice, and approved the changes under the bylaw review process, as did the Ministry of Health. Maintaining competency to practice is essential for public safety.
Regrettably, some registrants responded to the fee deadlines and the practice-hours requirements by exhibiting unprofessional behaviour toward CSHBC staff.
Many registrants who had not met the first deadline contacted CSHBC with requests for special accommodation, including expediting the reapplication process.
Unfortunately, in phone and email communication, a number of registrants addressed CSHBC staff in rude, abusive, and harassing ways.
The failure of some registrants to take responsibility for their own errors and the harm they caused to staff are extremely concerning to the Board. The conduct of those registrants is unprofessional and completely unacceptable. Further unprofessional conduct will not be tolerated and may lead to investigation and disciplinary action.
Payment of renewal fees on time is required under Section 62 of the CSHBC Bylaws, the Standard of Practice on Professional Accountability & Responsibility, and the Health Professions Act. Registrants who fail to pay renewal fees on time harm the interests of patients/clients who rely upon them. In addition, all registrants are responsible for staying abreast of their professional obligations such as the practice hours requirements.
All outstanding registration fees must be paid by August 31, 2020. Failure to meet this deadline will result in cancellation of registration. There will be no exceptions or extensions to the deadline. Lapsed registrants must immediately cease practice and will not be readmitted until the current reapplication process is complete.
We sincerely thank registrants for taking their professional responsibilities seriously, paying their fees on time, and maintaining their practice competency, in compliance with standards.
Board members unanimously express our full and unwavering support for CSHBC staff members, whose increased workload during the pandemic has included the burden of implementing the installment plan for registrants while responding to a large volume of requests for information. The Board admires and is grateful for the many efforts of the College’s dedicated and hard-working staff.
Sincerely,
Amy MacLean, RHIP, Chair
College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC Board of Directors
Karen Derry, RSLP
Charles Fontaine, RAUD, RHIP
Kevin Frew, RSLP
Jamie Hack, RSLP
Leigh Ingram, RAUD, RHIP
Jack MacDermot, Public Representative
Amy MacLean, RHIP, Chair
Parveen Mangat, Public Representative
Dan Miller, Public Representative
Marilyn Noort, RSLP
Thelma O’Grady, Public Representative
Jon Waterhouse, RHIP, Vice-Chair