The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released a What We Heard Report that summarizes feedback from the public and stakeholders on proposed amendments to the Health and Social Services Professions Act (HSSPA). Between July 29 and August 30, 2024, stakeholders and the public shared their views on the proposed changes.

Proposed amendments aim to create a more consistent and modern regulatory framework for health and social services professions in the Northwest Territories. Proposed amendments include:

• Ensuring the Act is reflective of current regulatory practices;
• Enhancing measures to protect the public, including a requirement for employers to report unprofessional conduct to the Registrar, and a requirement for the Registrar to provide notice to employers and other regulatory bodies of licence conditions, suspensions, and cancellations;
• Facilitating the mobility of applicants already certified in other jurisdictions;
• Refining the role of the Registrar and Registration Committees;
• Allowing for the self-regulation of professions under the Act; and
• Modernizing language.

The public engagement marks the initial phase of proposing amendments to the HSSPA. The GNWT will use the results from the engagement, along with cross-jurisdictional reviews and additional policy research, to guide work on modernizing the HSSPA.

For media requests, please contact:
Andrew Wind
Manager, Communications
Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories
Andrew_Wind@gov.nt.ca
(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034