The HPA is the governing legislation for all health professions in Alberta. Under the HPA, the various health professions are organized into regulatory bodies called colleges.
The HPA sets out in law the powers, duties, and responsibilities of each college, its regulated members, employers, and others, with respect to the regulation of health professions. While regulated health professions each govern themselves, the HPA lays out consistent rules by which all professions must provide competent and safe professional services to the public.
HPA Parts 0.1 – 9 are common to all the health professions regulated under the Act, and address matters such as the:
- identification of restricted activities (i.e., procedures or services that pose significant risk and require a high level of professional competence to be performed safely; and which may only be performed by persons authorized by their regulatory College to do so)
- establishment and governance of a professional college,
- initial registration, registration renewal,
- continuing competence of health professionals,
- investigation of complaints, and
- protection of professional titles.
HPA Part 10 contains profession specific schedules for each college established under the HPA. These schedules address unique aspects of each profession including:
- The professional titles that regulated members may use.
- The health professions’ practice statement, which describes the services provided by members.