A regulatory college’s job is to protect the public from unsafe practice and hold registrants of the profession accountable for the care they provide.
A college’s authority is granted by the Government of Alberta under the Health Professions Act (HPA). The HPA is the legislative framework through which regulatory colleges partner with government to establish standard processes for registration, continuing competency, complaints and discipline. The HPA also requires provision of professional standards of practice and codes of ethics.
Through these processes and provisions, the HPA ensures that health professionals maintain high standards of competency, safety and ethics, and provide Albertans with safe, high quality care.
The HPA requires that colleges carry out their governance responsibilities in a manner that protects and serves the public interest. This is unlike professional associations, which usually work to advance the interests of a profession or its members.