What do YOU need in Healthcare? Confidentiality, Privacy, and Healthcare. Take the quiz!  HPOA

In April 2026, new laws (the Health Professions and Occupations Act, HPOA) came into effect in BC.  These changes will impact how psychologists and all the other health care providers are regulated and the privacy of your health care information if you choose to see a psychologist or any other health care provider.

Why Psychologists Training Matters:  Psychologists spend many years in school and supervised practice before they can work.  They are trained to understand complex mental health issues and handle very private information.  Until now, they were regulated by other psychologists who understood profession, patient needs, and the sensitivity of your psychology records well.

Your Records Are Personal:  A psychologist's file can include your thoughts, emotions, history, diagnosis and sensitive life events.  In the past, this information could only be shared with your permission, in a safety emergency, or if a court required it.  Otherwise, it stayed private.

How the HPOA Was Passed:  The HPOA is an enormous update to the old system but it was introduced in the legislature quickly, with little warning and very limited consultation.  Many people including the public and professionals didn't get a chance to voice concerns about privacy or professional standards.  

What's Changing:  Under the new law:

  • Instead of being overseen by experts who actually understand mental health, decisions will be made by people with no background in psychology 
  • Government-appointed groups will oversee psychologists
  • Completely different health professions will be grouped together.  Psychology will be treated with the same rules and policies as used for physiotherapists, dieticians or optometrists even though they have nothing in common
  • People without expertise in psychology will have a lot of input about the profession.  Individuals who have never practiced psychology will help decide what psychologists are allowed to do, how they're monitored, and how they're disciplined.  
  • Additional layers of bureaucracy by non health care professionals making it more expensive to regulate health care and more distant from those who work with you and know what matters 

This means less control by trained psychologists and more control by government-selected regulators.

More Power for Regulators: This creates an environment where healthcare can be influenced by politics and government pressures rather than what is best for you.

Why This Matters: When government-appointed regulators oversee psychologists, there's a risk to your privacy, non experts take control, your safe space disappears and ultimately your care suffers.   

We Want to Hear From You:  Please share your thoughts in our short, confidential survey.  No names or identifying information are collected.  

You can also contact your MLA if you have concerns: https://www.leg.bc.ca/members

To Review the Legislation:

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/00_96183_01


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I think psychologists needed significant regulatory changes to better protect me and others.
I think psychologists should have a say in how their jobs are regulated.
I would feel comfortable if the cost of seeing a psychologist went up due to the creation of several more layers of government to oversee them. 
It’s important to me that a psychologist can speak honestly and use their professional skills without outside pressure or worrying about getting in trouble.
I would feel uncomfortable if my psychologist felt pressured by increased legislation and licensing requirements to make choices mainly to protect themselves from legal or professional trouble instead of being fully focused on what I need as a client.
I would feel comfortable seeing a psychologist who could never share my private information unless I gave written permission or they were trying to save my life or someone else's life.
I would feel comfortable seeing a psychologist if everything I said stayed confidential, except in emergencies—like if someone’s life was in danger, a child was unsafe, a court ordered it, or if I gave written permission to share my information.
I would feel comfortable seeing a psychologist if everything I said was still private even after I died.
I would feel comfortable seeing a psychologist even if my whole therapy file—including personal notes about my thoughts, feelings, and experiences—could be reviewed anytime by a Quality Assessor without my permission. (Note: My psychologist might be able to hide some identifying details, but the main information would still be there.)
I would feel comfortable seeing a psychologist if a Quality Assessor could contact me directly to talk about my psychologist and my therapy. The Quality Assessor could also ask to speak to my family or friends about my therapy.

I would feel comfortable seeing a psychologist if my file could be taken and searched at any time without a warrant.
I would feel comfortable if my psychologist had to report something I told them—even without my permission—such as another health-care provider acting in a discriminatory way.
I have something in my life that requires extreme privacy.  Check all that apply. 

Is there anything you would like to share as it relates to seeing a psychologist and privacy?  

Disclaimer: This document is intended solely for informational purposes. The authors do not hold legal expertise, and the accuracy or completeness of the content cannot be assured. It should be regarded as a preliminary framework and assessment for considering the potential implications of the HPOA on the health care professions rather than an authoritative source. Readers are advised to independently review and verify all statutes, bylaws, and references cited herein.

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