The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has passed a series of legislative amendments this fall designed to make it easier for health-care professionals, including physician assistants and registered psychiatric nurses, to practise in the province.
According to the province’s Health and Community Services Department, the changes respond to requests from regulatory bodies and build on recommendations from Health Accord NL. They include new provisions in the Medical Act, the Psychologists Act, and a newly created Nurses Act, all intended to streamline registration processes, increase internal review measures, and support professionals moving into the province.
Under the amendments, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador will be authorized to license physician assistants. The Registered Nurses Act is also changing to allow the province’s nursing regulator to license registered psychiatric nurses, a profession historically regulated in Western Canada and now recognized in several other jurisdictions.
The changes coincide with the proclamation of the Health Professions Act for medical radiation technologists and new Pharmacy Regulations that remove the requirement for pharmacists to seek additional authorization to prescribe drugs. Amendments in late 2023 also allowed pharmacy technicians to administer certain drug therapies by inhalation or injection.
“We are happy to work with our partners to make these amendments to address their concerns,” said Health and Community Services Minister John Hogan. “Amendments such as these will help bring physician assistants to the province and reduce administrative burden and will allow registered psychiatric nurses to work here.”
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador said it supports the changes in the Medical Act.
“We look forward to licensing physician assistants to contribute to the delivery of safe, quality medical care to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Dr. Tanis Adey, the regulator’s chief executive officer and registrar.