‘The Long
and Winding Road ’
The
NSCRT’s Continuing Quest for Licensure
As we
prepare for the move towards introduction of The
Respiratory Therapists Act in the legislature the
executive would like to provide the membership with a
brief timeline of events along the long and winding road
to self – regulation/licensure.
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002 2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
1996:
Discussions at the May 25, 1996 meeting around
health care reform
and restructuring in
preparation for meetings with the Minister of Health (MOH).
A public relation package (the role of Respiratory
Therapy) is forwarded to the MOH and the Regional Health
Boards.
1997:
At
November’s AGM, Government Lobbying is on the agenda for
discussion; the RTSNS officially begins the quest for government
lobbying and eventual licensure.
1998:
On
November 28th, the RTSNS executive
sponsors a workshop,
‘Effective Government
Lobbying’ which is facilitated by Wayne Marsh, a
consultant. Interestingly, this workshop is advertised
and open to all allied health professional associations
and therefore becomes a multi-disciplinary workshop. We
receive joint funding from The Nova Scotia Association
of Medical Radiation Technologists (NSAMRT) and the
Physiotherapy Association.
An initial meeting is
held with representatives from the Department of Health
and the Department of Education and Culture.
1999:
On
February 24th, members of the
executive: Patty Winfield, Phil
Richardson and Barb
MacDonald meet with representatives from the Department
of Health (DOH); Robert Fitzner who is a Policy Analyst
with the Strategic Planning and Policy Development
Branch and Sarah Gorelik who is a Legal Policy Analyst.
The purpose of this meeting is to learn more about the
process for licensure, and to provide an avenue for the
DOH to learn more about the Respiratory Therapy
profession.
On June 24th
members of the RTSNS executive meet with Robert Fitzner
and Rick Cameron at the DOH. The executive
( Phil was instrumental in
taking the lead on this !) put together an RTSNS
portfolio with the Standards of Practice and Terms of
Reference to submit to the DOH.
At the May 1 AGM,
the RTSNS invite Pat Hogan, the CSRT president to
discuss labour mobility, CRTO and licensure. The mandate
given at this meeting is for the RTSNS executive to
proceed with self-regulation for the RRTs in Nova
Scotia.
The
RTSNS executive follows
all of the preliminary requirements for licensure by
providing the DOH with the document ‘Mandatory
Assessment of Risk to Cause Harm’ and to begin to
make extensive changes to the by-laws to help prepare
the RTSNS membership for the requirements set out by the
regulatory bodies.
2000:
The
by-law changes are approved at the May 6, 2000
General Meeting held in Sydney and reflect the need for continuing
education and professional development. A lunch and
Learn, facilitated by Phil Richardson, updates those
present with the Agreement on Internal Trade and
Licensure.
Members
of the RTSNS executive meet with a NSGEU representative
who was involved with the Medical Laboratory
Technologist bid for self-regulation. A letter is
drafted and forwarded to the MOH and opposing critics to
inform and update the government on the labour mobility
issues in an effort to persuade government that
self-regulation must move forward.
2001:
2002:
The
membership mandates gradual dues increases in
preparation for self-regulation.
Correspondence in the form
of phone calls, letters and e-mails are forwarded to the
MOH and the DOH in response to government elections,
etc. as portfolios change. We have a mutual recognition
agreement with all of the provincial associations and
regulatory bodies in Canada ( except Ontario/Quebec).
2003:
2004:
The momentum of movement towards self- regulation is
dwindling because the provincial government seems to have its own
agenda. Letters to the MOH, the Policy Analyst for the
DOH go unanswered. However, the RTSNS executive is ready
because of the By-Law changes, adoption of a new
Standards of Practice and a vision for the future!
2005:
On
February 21 – 23th, 2005 an RTSNS executive member
(Barb
MacDonald) attends a
workshop put on by Infonex on ‘Professional
Regulation and Discipline.’ Initial communication
with Marjorie Hickey Q C and Patricia Elliot ( lawyers)
at the workshop leads to a meeting with the lawyers and
the RTSNS executive on March 29th, 2005
to devise a plan for furthering our quest towards self –
regulation. Previous to this the RTSNS president (Rhonda
Burke) contacts Robert Fitzner to establish exactly
where we stand with the government as a profession
seeking self – regulation. The RTSNS executive decides
to retain the services of Patricia Elliot to assist us
in moving forward. Letters to the MOH and updates to the
Risk of Harm document are reviewed, changed and
forwarded to the lawyer prior to being sent to the MOH.
A response is received from the MOH; a meeting with the
MOH is planned for October 19th.
October 18th:
meeting with
Patricia Elliot, Phil Richardson and the NSCRT executive
in preparation for the meeting with the MOH on October
19th.
Meeting
with the DOH:
October 19th, 2005
Carol Donaldson, Phil Richardson, Barb MacDonald and
Patricia Elliot meet with Dennis Holland Senior
Director, Legislative Policy and Robert Fitzner, Policy
Analyst with the DOH to discuss NSCRT progress, review
our timeline to date and determine a plan for moving
towards a projected goal of the Spring sitting of the
legislature. The primary outcome from the meeting is
that we are well on our way; it is imperative that we
solicit and gain written support from all the health
professions that may be in conflict with our Scope of
Practice, etc. The College of Physicians and Surgeons,
College of Nurses, College of Physiotherapists and
College of Paramedics are four professional bodies that
will be targeted.
The
executive (Carol Donaldson, Jennifer MacKinnon, Patricia
Moriarty, Rhonda Burke, Wendy Conrad, Vanessa Friesen
and Barb MacDonald) meet on a weekly basis to move ahead
with finalization of A Scope of Practice and development
of a Draft Act in consultation with legal council.
2006: February 8th:
a
meeting with the RTSNS executive and
The Pathfinder Group, to discuss ways in which
this full service Association Management Company may be
able to assist the NSCRT with ongoing priorities such as
licensure, website development, public relations, etc.
March 1st: a second
meeting is held with The Pathfinder Group.
After
researching several website development companies, The
RTSNS executive retains the services of The
Pathfinder Group.
April –
May:
weekly
executive meetings and additional meetings with our
lawyer, Marjorie Hickey, are held in preparation for the
RTSNS Annual General Meeting on May 6th.
Marjorie Hickey is the keynote speaker to the
membership. As well, the new RTSNS website is launched
during the meeting and a ‘Communications Committee’ is
struck; the mandate from the membership is for the
committee to arrange teleconferences/communication
venues with both RTSNS and non – RTSNS members across
the province about sel-regulation.
May 30th:
Carol Donaldson, Patricia Moriarty,
Marjorie Hickey and Barb MacDonald meet with
senior policy analysts, Dennis Holland and Robert
Fitzner to discuss our progress to date, present the
Scope of Practice and discuss progress with development
of the Draft Act and proposal for introduction of the
Act at the Fall sitting of the legislature. The policy
analysts are very pleased with our progress to date, the
letters of support received from other stakeholders and
support the initiative for the RTSNS to move ahead with
our proposal for the Fall sitting despite the call for a
provincial election.
June -
July:
weekly
RTSNS meetings continue; several meetings dedicated to
finalization of the Draft Act are held with Marjorie
Hickey. As well the Communications Committee arranges
for an initial teleconference with the managers across
the province.
August:
Carol, Barb and Patricia hold a
teleconference with Marjorie Hickey; The
Respiratory Therapists Act is finalized along
with letters to the Government leaders, Union Leaders
and Professional Bodies. August 3rd: a
teleconference is arranged with the managers in the
province.
September:
On August 17th and September 7th
members of both the Executive and Communications
committee hold teleconferences with managers and RTs
across the province in an effort to bring members up to
date and to address questions and concerns regarding the
proposed Respiratory Therapists
Act.
A
special meeting and vote for acceptance of The
Respiratory Therapists Act is held on Monday
September 25th from 6:00 to 8:30 in Rm 6016
Halifax Infirmary with Marjorie Hickey in attendance.
The membership votes for unanimous approval of the Draft
Respiratory Therapists Act!!
This is a milestone in the history of the RTSNS and for
all Respiratory Therapists in Nova Scotia.
By approving this motion the membership “grants the
authority to the Executive of the RTSNS to execute the
required actions to establish Respiratory Therapy as a
self-regulating health profession in the province of
Nova Scotia.” The executive will proceed with plans for
completion of the Regulations
and ByLaws.
A
follow-up meeting is held with the Executive and
Marjorie Hickey to confirm plans for communication with
Government representatives and stakeholders.
October:
Meetings with both the Liberal (October 24th)
and NDP Caucus (October) are arranged prior to the fall
sitting of the legislature on October 30th,
2006. The Communications Committee is mandated to
address potential communication strategies with MLAs and
RTs across the province.
November/December:
Numerous executive meetings, meetings and/or
teleconferences with Marjorie Hickey and communication
with the DOH Senior Policy Analysts are held to review,
revise and finalize the Act for presentation at
the Spring sitting of the Legislature. A meeting
with several members of the Executive and our lawyer is
held on November 8th to complete the first
draft of the Regulations. A deadline of December
1st is imposed for completion of the 1st
draft.
2007:
January - April:
Numerous executive meetings,
meetings/teleconferences
with
Marjorie Hickey,
communication and formal
correspondence between legal
counsel and all of the Government, union and College/
Association stakeholders
etc. are held in preparation for
presentation of the Act at the Spring sitting of
the
Legislature.
March 20th
2007: The Respiratory Therapists Act is
introduced by the Honourable Chris
d’Entremont for the 1st reading in the
Legislature and is received as
Bill 141
March 26th 2007: Bill 141
received 2nd reading in the
legislature
March 28th 2007: Bill 141
was
approved at Law
Amendments
April 12th 2007: Bill 141 received 3rd
reading in the Legislature
and is passed!!
May:
The
RTSNS Educational Forum and General Meeting is
held on May 4th and 5th; Marjorie
Hickey speaks to the
membership on Licensure and Respiratory Therapy in Nova
Scotia.
June – August:
Several executive members meet regularly
to review and revise the Bylaws in preparation
for transition
of the RTSNS into the Nova Scotia College of Respiratory
Therapists (NSCRT).
September – December:
The
RTSNS Executive finalizes
the Regulations; the proclamation and approval
for the
regulations for the Respiratory Therapists Act
are approved
by Cabinet on December 19th 2007 and the
Orders in Council
is signed by the Lieutenant-Governor on December 21,
2007,
to be effective January 1, 2008.
2008:
January - March:
Transition into The Nova Scotia College
of Respiratory Therapists (NSCRT) is the immediate task
for
the interim Registrar: Phil Richardson and members of
the
Board: President: Barb MacDonald, Past-President: Carol
Donaldson, Treasurer: Patricia Munro, Director-at-large:
Wendy Conrad, Director-at-large: Rhonda Dallaire.
Communication with all RRTs practicing in
Nova Scotia is
accomplished by two mailouts through the
RTSNS and the
CSRT, a teleconference with managers on Feb. 20th, a
special meeting (also available by teleconference for
all
RRTs) on March 1st, the NSCRT
website @
www.NSCRT.com
and through the registrar @
registrar@nscrt.com
April
– May: To date there are 240
active-practicing
therapists on the roster
Please
Note: This is in no way an inclusive description of
all of the hard work and effort by the NSCRT executive
that continues on behind the scenes. Rather, it is an
attempt to raise membership awareness of our quest for
self-regulation, to invite feedback and promote more
membership participation.
Respectfully submitted:
Barb
MacDonald
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