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The Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act, 2022 received royal assent in May 2022 and was introduced to better protect the health and safety of women and girls by strengthening laws around female genital mutilation. As a requirement of the amendment act, regulatory colleges are mandated to address this issue and have a Standard of Practice in place by May 2023.
The Criminal Code of Canada (footnote section 320.101 and 268(3)) identifies certain medical procedures, such as female genital mutilation and conversion therapy, as illegal. The proposed new Standard is to be used to address the performance and procurement of medical procedures that are considered unethical and/or illegal.
This Standard will be implemented as a legislative requirement. The Alberta College of Paramedics fully recognizes its members would not be in a position to perform or procure the procedures outlined in the proposed Standard and that all our regulated members practice medicine to the highest professional standard.
As part of the Health Professions Act (HPA), the College is required to consult with regulated members of the profession on changes to the Standards of Practice. The College is now opening the consultation period on the proposed Prohibited Medical Procedures Standard of Practice.
This Standard is to be used to clarify and establish the responsibility of regulated members in relation to illegal and/or unethical medical procedures.
We invite your review and comments on the proposed new Standard of Practice by February 7, 2023.
The Proposed Standard document can be found here and all feedback can be submitted through the Standards of Practice feedback form.