Learn about Ontario’s regulated health professions, corresponding regulatory colleges, scope of practice and related legislation.
In Ontario, regulated health professions are governed under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 ( RHPA ) and health profession-specific Acts (for example, Medicine Act, 1991 ). This legislative framework establishes health regulatory colleges which regulate the professions in the public interest. Health regulatory colleges are responsible for ensuring that regulated health professionals provide health services in a safe, professional and ethical manner. This includes, among other things, setting standards of practice for the profession, investigating complaints about members of the profession and disciplining them, where appropriate.
The Health Professions Procedural Code, sets out a comprehensive set of rules that all health regulatory colleges must follow when:
These rules ensure that:
There are 26 regulated health professions in Ontario each with their own profession-specific legislation which articulates their scope of practice, the types of activities that are authorized to the profession and the protected titles that members of the profession may use.
Audiologists assess hearing and treat and prevent hearing problems to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment hearing and communication functions. Audiologists are authorized to prescribe hearing aids for individuals with hearing-impairment. Speech-language pathologists assess speech and language functions and treat as well as prevent speech and language dysfunctions or disorders to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment oral motor or communicative functions.
Chiropodists treat and prevent diseases, disorders or dysfunctions of the foot by therapeutic, orthotic or palliative means. Chiropodists are authorized to cut into the subcutaneous tissues of the foot, prescribe drugs designated in the regulations, inject into the feet a substance set out in the regulations and administer a substance by inhalation as set out in the regulations. Chiropodists may also perform acupuncture.
Podiatrists also treat and prevent diseases, disorders and dysfunctions of the foot by therapeutic, orthotic or palliative means. Podiatrists are also authorized to communicate a diagnosis identifying a disease or disorder of the foot as the cause of a person's symptoms, cut into subcutaneous tissues of the foot and bony tissues of the forefoot, prescribe drugs set out in the regulations, inject into the feet a substance set out in the regulations and administer a substance by inhalation as set out in the regulations.
Chiropractors assess conditions related to the spine, nervous system and joints. They diagnose, prevent and treat, primarily by adjustment:
Chiropractors are authorized to communicate a diagnosis and move the joints of the spine among other activities. Chiropractors may also perform acupuncture within their scope of practice.
Dental hygienists assess teeth and adjacent tissues and treat by preventive and therapeutic means. They provide restorative and orthodontic procedures and services.
In the course of engaging in the practice of dental hygiene, dental hygienists may scale teeth and are authorized to prescribe, dispense, compound, or selling a drug designated in the regulations.
Dental technologists design, construct, repair or alter dental prosthetic, restorative and orthodontic devices.
Dentists assess the physical condition of the oral-facial complex and diagnose, treat and prevent any disease, disorder or dysfunction of the oral-facial complex.
Dentists are also authorized to prescribe drugs and administer substances by injection or inhalation among other activities. Dentists may also perform acupuncture.
Denturists design, construct, repair, alter, order fit and dispense removable dentures.
Dietitians assess nutrition and nutritional conditions and treat and prevent nutrition related disorders by nutritional means. Dietitians are authorized to take blood samples by skin pricking for the purpose of monitoring capillary blood readings.
Homeopaths assess body system disorders and treat using homeopathic techniques to promote, maintain or restore health of individuals.
Kinesiologists assess human movement and performance and rehabilitate and manage to maintain, rehabilitate or enhance movement and performance.
Massage therapists treat and prevent physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissues and joints of the body by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function or relieve pain.
Massage therapists may also perform acupuncture.
Medical laboratory technologists perform laboratory investigations on the human body or on specimens taken from the human body and evaluate the technical sufficiency of the investigations and their results. In the course of practicing the profession, medical laboratory technologists may also take blood samples from veins or by skin pricking if the procedure is ordered by a member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario or the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, or by a prescribed person.
Medical radiation and imaging technologists use ionizing radiation, electromagnetism and other prescribed forms of energy for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, the evaluation of images and data relating to the procedures and the assessment of an individual before, during and after the procedures.
Physicians assess the physical or mental condition of an individual and diagnose, treat and prevent any disease, disorder or dysfunction.
In the course of practicing the profession, physicians may communicate a diagnosis, prescribe drugs and order diagnostic testing, among other things.
Midwives assess and monitor women during pregnancy, labour and the post-partum period and their newborn babies. They provide care during normal pregnancy, labour and post-partum period and conduct spontaneous normal vaginal deliveries.
In the course of practising the profession, midwives may communicate a diagnosis, prescribe drugs and order laboratory tests among other things.
Naturopaths assess diseases, disorders and dysfunctions, make naturopathic diagnoses and treat diseases, disorders and dysfunctions using naturopathic techniques to promote, maintain or restore health.
In the course of practising the profession, naturopaths may communicate a naturopathic diagnosis, order laboratory tests and prescribe drugs, among other things. Naturopaths may also perform acupuncture.
Registered nurses, registered practical nurses and nurse practitioners, promote health and assess, provide care for and treat health conditions by supportive, preventive, therapeutic, palliative and rehabilitative means in order to gain or maintain optimal function.
In the course of practising the profession, certain nurses may prescribe and administer drugs and order laboratory and imaging tests. Nurses may also perform acupuncture.
Occupational therapists assess function and adaptive behaviour and treat and prevent disorders which affect function or adaptive behaviour to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment function or adaptive behaviour in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure. In the course of practising the profession, occupational therapists may treat their clients using psychotherapy techniques. Occupational therapists may also perform acupuncture.
Opticians provide, fit and adjust subnormal vision devices, contact lenses or eye glasses. Opticians are also authorized to dispense subnormal vision devices, contact lenses or eye glasses.
Optometrists assess the eye and vision system and diagnose, treat and prevent:
Optometrists are also authorized to communicate a diagnosis, apply a prescribed form of energy, prescribe drugs and prescribe for vision or eye problems, subnormal vision devices, contact lenses or eyeglasses.
The practice of pharmacy is:
In the course of engaging in the practice of pharmacy, pharmacists are able to, subject to terms and conditions on the certificate of registration, compound, dispense, sell drugs and supervise the part of the pharmacy where drugs are kept, administer a substance by injection or inhalation, prescribe a drug and perform a procedure on tissue below the dermis.
Physiotherapists assess neuromuscular, musculoskeletal and cardio-respiratory systems, diagnose diseases or disorders associated with physical dysfunction, injury, or pain, treat, rehabilitate, and prevent relief of physical dysfunction, injury or pain to develop, maintain, rehabilitate, or augment function; and promote mobility. In the course of engaging in the practice of physiotherapy, a physiotherapist may communicate a diagnosis, move the joints of the spine, use tracheal suctioning, treat a wound below the dermis and administer a substance by inhalation. Physiotherapists may also perform acupuncture.
Psychological associates are also regulated by the College of Psychologists of Ontario and Applied Behaviour Analysis providers will be regulated by this College in July 2024.
In the course of engaging in the practice of psychology, psychologists are authorized to communicate a diagnosis and treat their clients using psychotherapy techniques.
Registered psychotherapists and registered mental health therapists assess and treat cognitive, emotional or behavioural disturbances by psychotherapeutic means, delivered through a therapeutic relationship based primarily on verbal or non-verbal communication.
In the course of engaging in the practice of psychotherapy, psychotherapists are authorized to treat their clients using psychotherapy techniques.
Respiratory therapists provide oxygen therapy, cardio-respiratory equipment monitoring and the assessment and treatment of cardio-respiratory and associated disorders to maintain or restore ventilation.
In the course of practicing the profession, respiratory therapists are authorized to perform a procedure below the dermis, perform intubation and suctioning, administer a substance by injection or inhalation and apply soundwaves for the purposes of diagnostic ultrasound.
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners assess body system disorders through traditional Chinese medicine techniques and treat individuals using traditional Chinese medicine therapies to promote, maintain or restore health. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners may also perform acupuncture and communicate a traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis.
A profession’s scope of practice is set out in health profession-specific Acts (for example Nursing Act, 1991 , Pharmacy Act, 1991 ) supporting regulations and in other pieces of legislation. It describes:
To submit a scope of practice change proposal, applicants must use the appropriate ministry form. To aid applicants in their submission, the ministry has created the ‘Guide for Submitting Scope of Practice Change Proposal’ document, which sets out expectations and requirements when submitting a proposal.
If you wish to submit the forms for a scope of practice change proposal, please contact the manager of the Regulatory Design and Implementation Unit for the interactive forms at RegulatoryProjects@ontario.ca.
The forms provided below are for instructional purposes only.