Mailing Address
Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council
56 Wellesley St W.,
12th Floor
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 2S3
Telephone and Facsimile
Toll-Free: 1-888-377-7746
Telephone: 416-326-1550.
Fax: 416-326-1549
Mandate
About the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC)
The Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) is established under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), with a statutory duty to advise the Minister on health professions regulatory matters in Ontario. This includes providing advice to the Minister on:
- Whether unregulated health professions should be regulated;
- Whether regulated health professions should no longer be regulated;
- Amendments to the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA);
- Amendments to a health profession's Act or a regulation under any of those Acts;
- Matters concerning the quality assurance programs and patient relations programs undertaken by health colleges; and,
- Any matter the Minister refers to HPRAC relating to the regulation of the health professions.
The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care relies on recommendations from HPRAC as an independent source of evidence-informed advice in the formulation of policy in relation to health professional regulation in Ontario. In providing its advice and preparing its recommendations, HPRAC is independent of the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the regulated health colleges, regulated health professional and provider associations, and stakeholders who have an interest in issues on which it provides advice. This ensures that HPRAC is free from constraining alliances and conflict of interest, and is able to carry out its activities in a fair and unbiased manner.
When considering health professions regulatory matters, HPRAC ascribes to the following overriding principles:
- Meeting public expectations for improved access to high quality and safe care;
- Supporting inter-professional care and optimizing the contribution of all health professionals;
- Applying standards for the regulation of health professionals;
- Ensuring a shared accountability agenda that encourages and values collaboration and trust;
- Using resources efficiently;
- Sustaining the health care system; and,
- Maintaining self-regulation.
HPRAC presents its recommendations in a report to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care for consideration. This report is confidential until released by the Minister. As per the RHPA, HPRAC recommendations are advisory only. The Minister is not bound to accept HPRAC's advice. The release of an HPRAC report and any follow-up action are at the discretion of the Minister. Should the minister choose to accept HPRAC's advice, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is responsible for implementation based on the direction of the government.
