Public Consultations

NSCP is proposing changes to regulation of Private Practice under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).

After 27 years under the current legislation, the landscape of physiotherapy practice has evolved significantly. What was once a profession primarily practiced in public settings has shifted to include nearly 50% of physiotherapists working in private practice. Many of these physiotherapists are part of multi-professional clinics, collaborating with both regulated and non-regulated health professionals. As we prepare for the transition to the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), this is a pivotal moment to update our regulatory framework to reflect this new environment. The purpose of this consultation is to gather input on how best to regulate private practice settings under the RHPA, ensuring they align with contemporary realities while maintaining public trust and safety.

Please download and review the proposed changes and rationale and respond to this survey.

We would appreciate responses be submitted by February 14, 2025.

NSCP keeps all feedback provided confidential. Individuals names are not connected with specific feedback.

RFP Digital Practices 2025

The Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists (NSCP) invites proposals from qualified vendors to update our database and website infrastructure by summer 2025. NSCP is a relatively small organization operating within a virtual office environment. This project is an important aspect of our ongoing journey to modernize and enhance operational capabilities. There are 3 distinct but integrated projects we are seeking a vendor to provide:

Database update
Website update
Productivity tools configuration

This project will be informed by and integrated with 2 concurrent projects: migration to the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), and migration to the 2022 Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) dataset. With the changes required to meet the needs of an updated Act and Regulations and the new dataset requirements, we have decided to embrace the opportunity for a holistic approach to the update of our digital practices. Please download the RFP for detailed project requirements.

Interim Competency Evaluation Application

The Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists has developed an Interim Competency Evaluation process that will be utilized whenever a national clinical evaluation is unavailable for a period of 12 months or more. Application resources for the Interim Competency Evaluation process are listed below. Click on the links to download.

When, applying please complete all forms in the electronic format provided and submit completed applications via email with supporting documents to info@nsphysio.com. Only complete applications including all documents and complete application form will be accepted.

Sponsors and Employers/Managers must send their reports/letters directly to info@nsphysio.com.

Sponsor portal and member portal are not monitored for uploaded documents. Please email info@nsphysio.com to inform NSCP if any documents have been uploaded via the portal.

Please complete all forms in the electronic format provided and submit completed applications via email with supporting documents to info@nsphysio.com. Sponsors and Employers/Managers should send their reports/letters independently to the Registrar and include the name of the PT Resident applying.

Resource	Description
For Applicants
References
Application Guide	Detailed instructions for applicants (PDF)
Paying Fees	Fee schedule is available here. Contact info@nsphysio.com for details on paying the fee.
Forms
Application Form	Application form in MSExcel.
Competency Self Assessment	Self assessment practice review activity focused on the Competency Profile for Physiotherapists in Canada
Self Reflection - Learning Needs	Self-reflection assessment on process for identifying learning needs (MSWord)
Self Reflection - Patient Care	Self-reflection on patient care experience to submit with chart notes (personal identifiers redacted) (MSWord)
Self Reflection - Professional	Self-reflection on professional behaviours (MS Word)
For Sponsors
Clinical Practice Report Guidelines	Guidelies for completing clinical practice reports
Final Sponsor Report	3-part report including Sponsor Questionairre, Feedback Form and Professional Behaviour Rubric (MSWord)
Chart Audit Tool	Checklist for chart audits
For Employers/Managers
Directions for letter of support	A support letter from the Manager (or Employer if there is no manager) in each of the applicant's practice sites must be provided. The letter should include a statement regarding potential or realized professional or practice issues along with explanation and resolution.

FAQ

I sponsored a resident in the past year but I'm not currently their sponsor. Do they need me to complete the final sponsor report or is it just their current sponsor that completes that form?

In most cases the final report will only be required from the most recent sponsor, since the committee is most interested in current competency. There may be situations where multiple sponsors will need to complete the final report to ensure the committee has the right information to make their decision. If an applicant is unsure they can contact Joan Ross, Registrar at registrar@nsphysio.com to confirm.

I work for NSH; what is the process for releasing the required chart notes to the committee?

NSH Privacy staff are aware of the Interim Competency Evaluation requirements. Applicants that are employed by NSH will need to email chart requests to Privacy@nshealth.ca with the following information:

Requesting Physiotherapy Resident's information:

Name
NSCP License number

Patient's information:

First and Last name
Health Card Number or Date of Birth (or both is great)
Location or Hospital Site where the visit happened
Date(s) of assessment, or date range.
Include details of records required (initial assessment to discharge and all relevant physiotherapy progress notes/supporting documents).

NSH Privacy office will redact the patient identifiers once they receive the records and will then provide them to the NSCP Registrar.

The estimated turnaround time for the request is approximately 3 weeks depending on workload.

How long will it take to receive a decision on my application through ICE?

The timelines in the ICE policy have been updated to ensure the committee is not impeded in its public protection/interest mandate and to allow for applicants to have realistic expectations of the length of time from submission to response. The policy no longer refers to a 20-business day response time from the time of receiving applications. This arbitrary timeline does not reflect the reality of the process nor the current situation in relation to the number of eligible applicants and anticipated applications. The Committee will move the applications forward as expediently as possible. Timelines for processing applications will be monitored and once reasonable estimates are available, they will be published. This will allow applicants to have realistic expectations of the length of time from submission to response.

Why is a letter from the manager/employer required? Does the Resident see that letter?

The letter of support is intended to provide opportunity for the manager/employer to report on whether or not there were any practice or behaviour issues that may have been reported and/or dealt with internally. The letter is sent directly to teh Registrar to be shared with teh Committee and the Resident does not see it.

Does a Sponsor have to complete and submit practice review forms after submitting the final evaluation report?

Until the committee has made a decision the applicant is still a resident. After submitting the final report the sponsor may pause on the reporting but must continue the sponsor/resident relationship until the committee has communicated a decision on the application.

Once I reach the 1200 hours can I take a break until the 6 months are up?

Practice is meant to be continuous work over a 6 month period to consolidate knowledge and skills. We say "6 month minimum" to acknowledge that there may be a break, such as a medical or parental leave, that may impact meeting all the criteria and that in certain circumstances the 6 month requirement may take longer to fulfil.

Has the eligibility criteria changed? I thought residency was for 12 months? Why change to 6 months?

In February 2023 the 12 month time requirement was decreased to 6 months. This was done based on a review of the applications submitted up to that point. After 6 months there was very little change in sponsor reports, with all observable competencies being noted as met within 6 months.

Welcome Mark McFarland to the BOD

July 8, 2024

NSCP is pleased to announce Mark McFarland has been acclaimed to the recently vacated board Director position. Mark is a Dalhousie University graduate and has 31 years experience practicing in a variety of clinical and management settings. His primary focus has been in private practice, where he continues to provide clinical services and manage the responsibilities of owning a multidisciplinary healthcare centre.

Mark is passionate about ensuring that the highest standards of practice are upheld stating, “I am a strong advocate for patient-centered care and ethical practice. I believe that our primary responsibility is to the patients we serve, and I am dedicated to upholding the ethical standards that ensure their well-being and trust. My goal is to work with the board to develop policies and initiatives that promote transparency, accountability, and excellence in all aspects of physiotherapy practice.”

Please join us in welcoming Mark to the NSCP Board.

College Announces Decision Regarding Susan Humphreys

Susan Humphreys, Licence # 1220

On April 21, 2022, the Investigation Committee of the Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists decided on an interim basis to impose restrictions on Susan Humphreys’ practice, pursuant to section 47(1) of the Physiotherapists Act, SNS 1998, c 22.

Susan Humphreys’ licence is currently expired. In the event Susan Humphreys applies for renewal of her licence, the interim restrictions will apply. Further, the interim restrictions will remain in effect until they are lifted, superseded, or annulled by the Investigation Committee or the Hearing Committee, as the case may be.

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