About this engagement
What was the goal of this member engagement?
To meet its regulatory requirements, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC updated its bylaws to reflect the provisions of the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA)—new legislation that comes into force on April 1, 2026, and replaces the Health Professions Act.
To inform our response to the College’s call for stakeholder input on the bylaws, guide our HPOA-related advocacy with government, and support physician awareness and understanding of the HPOA and its implications, we sought member input on four rounds of draft bylaws, the HPOA, and our draft submission to the College.
How did we seek member input?
All-member engagement
Between April and August 2025, we used a combination of online and in-person approaches to seek members’ feedback:
- Five rounds of outreach through our online member engagement platform, Have Your Say, resulting in over 400 survey submissions.
- Presentations to and engagement with members at eight physician leadership tables (Division and MSA executives, the four JCC Physician Caucuses, IDEA Committee, and Doctors of BC’s Representative Assembly).
- Dedicated Representative Assembly review and discussion of potential impacts of the HPOA and College bylaws, led by the Chair of the Council on Health Economics and Policy (advisory body to the Board on HPOA-related work).
Number of participants
352 members submited 419 surveys (College bylaws: 63; HPOA: 266; Draft submission to the College: 90)
Type of practice
Family physician: 51%; Specialist: 49%
Practice setting
Community-based: 40%; Facility-based: 22%; Both: 38%
Geographic setting
Urban: 64%; Semi-urban: 15%; Rural: 21%
What questions did we ask?
We asked members for input on:
- The draft College bylaws that outline how the College intends to meet specific requirements of the HPOA. (Bylaws were released in four successive rounds over a four-month period.)
- The HPOA and identified concerns about the implications of the coming legislative changes.
- Our draft submission to the College on its bylaws and whether it reflected physicians’ core concerns and recommendations.
What did we learn?
On the draft bylaws
Many concerns expressed by respondents are linked to dissatisfaction with the provisions of the HPOA (for example, that the shift to an elected College board could undermine the College’s role in protecting patient safety to focus on governmental priorities and will limit opportunities for physician leadership). Physicians also:
- Perceived some aspects of the bylaws as unnecessarily intrusive and punitive, particularly those related to the Blood-Borne Communicable Disease Committee and the Health Monitoring Program, and requested that the College revisit these to reflect the latest clinical science and include information on physician supports.
- Had concerns that requirements for various license classes could create unnecessary barriers to physician mobility and flexible practice arrangements and could also create unjustified barriers for international medical graduates.
On the HPOA
Respondents’ key concerns related to:
- The diminished physician presence on College boards, the shift to entirely government-appointed boards, and their potential impact on professional autonomy.
- The disclosure of minor disciplinary complaints and their consequent potential for personal and professional reputational harm, as well as a culture of defensive medicine. Physicians feel strongly that, combined with the loss of statutory appeal rights, these changes will cause unintended harm and do not reflect the principles of procedural fairness.
- The potential for these losses, and practicing under the HPOA, to worsen physician psychological safety.
On our draft submission to the College
Overall, member perception of our submission was positive. Respondents highlighted a few sections that could be strengthened, including the potential impacts of the HPOA on physicians’ mental well-being and feedback on the College’s complaints process.
Key takeaways
Respondents stressed the need for greater physician involvement in College governance, where possible. This includes opportunities to provide input on board appointment processes and committees, as well as help shape programs that are not mandated under the HPOA, such as the Blood-Borne Communicable Disease Committee and the Health Monitoring Program.
Physicians do not see a connection between the HPOA and its proposed objectives and are concerned that the new legislation risks making BC a more difficult place to practice at a time when physician recruitment and retention is paramount.
What's next?
The findings from our member engagement informed our written submission to the College, deepened our understanding of our members’ concerns, and continue to guide our advocacy for members in preparing for the implementation of the HPOA.
We will continue our efforts with the College to ensure their bylaws meet the needs of physicians as best as possible, in accordance with the requirements of the HPOA, and to seek clarity on the details and impact of changes introduced through additional regulations announced by the government in July 2025.