Profession Practice Standards
In BC, chiropractors are primary health care providers that are regulated by the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC. The College is one of multiple health regulators in this province. Under the Health Professions Act (HPA), the College sets the minimum standards for all practicing chiropractors and performs ongoing competency requirements such as continuing education, quality assurance measures, and criminal record checks.
Patient and public safety is the primary objective of the College. It is important that all patients understand their rights to ensure they receive quality health care services from a competent professional.
Practice Standard: Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility and Anti-Racism
Eleven health profession regulatory colleges adopted a joint Cultural Safety and Humility and Indigenous-specific anti-racism practice standard for registrants, setting expectations for culturally safe and appropriate care to BC’s First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.
Professional Conduct Handbook
The College publishes a Professional Conduct Handbook (PCH) applicable to all registrants of the College. Registrants are responsible for being familiar with the content in the PCH. The public will also find information regarding commonly asked questions. The PCH is revised periodically by the regulator as required.
Recent Amendments to the handbook can be found here.
The College accepts the following online materials as sources for current, appropriate and generally accepted infection control measures:
BC Centre for Disease Control
- Community-Based Health Care
- Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Community-Based Allied Health Care Providers in Clinic Settings
- Environmental Cleaning and Disinfectants for Health-Care and Clinic Settings
WorkSafeBC
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns, contact the College at PracticeSupport@cchpbc.ca.
Efficacy Claims
The Efficacy Claims Policy states as follows:
Due to the absence of acceptable evidence supporting such claims, registrants must NOT represent to patients or the public that chiropractic:
- can be used to treat diseases, disorders or conditions such as: Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, infections, infertility, or Tourette’s syndrome, or
- has any beneficial effect on childhood diseases, disorders or conditions such as ADHD (or ADD), autism spectrum disorders including Asperger syndrome, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, or developmental and speech disorders.
- has any beneficial effect on fetal development or position such as breech/breech turning or position and intrauterine/in utero constraint.
- has any beneficial effect on labour or birth such as easier or shorter labour, preventing the need for medical interventions and preventing premature or traumatic birth.
- has any beneficial effect on hormone function or postpartum depression.
RELATED RESOURCES
Professional Boundaries
The vast majority of chiropractors work with dedication and integrity and are committed to providing high-quality patient care; However, it can be very easy to blur the lines between delivering care and breaching sexual boundaries. In an effort to reinforce the importance of clear boundaries and support chiropractors with making good decisions, the Patient Relations Committee (PRC) has developed a Sexual Boundaries program that consists of a reference guide titled: Clear Sexual Boundaries Between Chiropractors and Patients: Responsibilities of Chiropractors. This document is available for viewing by registrants, the public, and other health professionals.
The College acknowledges and thanks the UK Professional Standards Authority for granting permission to modify and distribute this paper to the Chiropractors of British Columbia.
Practice Support Program/ Practice Development Program
Continuing Education
Practicing Chiropractors must complete forty (40) hours of continuing education credit including a minimum of six (6) hours of radiology continuing education credits every two (2) year cycle. In addition, registrants must complete a Competency Assessment and a My Professional Plan every cycle. This step was taken by the College to ensure continued clinical competency of chiropractors in our province.
Note: First Aid certification with CPR-C is a requirement for registration and does not qualify for CE credit.
Current Continuing Education Cycle: April 1, 2023- March 31, 2025
Practice Self Review
The College’s quality assurance framework includes the requirement for every Full registrant to undergo a Practice Self Review (PSR) every five years or at the request of the College Board or Registrar. The PSR process is overseen by the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC).
The PSR process is conducted with a checklist inspection form and requires registrants to closely examine their practice to ensure they are meeting the standards set out by the College. During this process, the registrant submits examples of their patient files with identifying information removed. The College will check for things such as:
- Accurate and complete patient history
- Physical exam
- Neurological/orthopedic tests
- Diagnosis
- Treatment plan
- Informed consent form
A complete review of the standards is outlined in the Health Professions Act, the College’s Bylaws and the College’s Professional Conduct Handbook. The forms must be properly completed and returned to the College office within 30 days of receipt.
Upon receipt by the Quality Assurance Committee, the Practice Self-Review will be assessed by the Deputy Registrar and becomes part of the registrant’s permanent College record. The QAC has the ability to mandate courses or request the resubmission of the PSR by an individual Chiropractic Doctor in six (6) months if the QAC finds areas that require improvement.
The PSR process is the primary, supportive tool through which the College and each registrant together ensure that chiropractic in BC meets the standards expected and required of the profession.
First Aid Certification
First Aid with CPR Requirements Q&A
Further to our mandate to serve and protect the public, the College’s Bylaws require all full registrants to obtain and maintain Standard First Aid with CPR-C certification.
The Quality Assurance Committee has specified the following Standard First Aid with CPR C certifications as acceptable to fulfill this requirement:
- Heart and Stroke Foundation – Standard First Aid CPR and AED Level C
- Canadian Red Cross – Standard First Aid & CPR-C (or better)
- St. John Ambulance – Intermediate First Aid
- Lifesaving Society – Standard First Aid (with CPR)
- Canadian Ski Patrol – As part of membership requirements to CSP
Certifications must be issued through one of the above providers.
Registrants are able to take courses for certification with any of the named providers, including courses that exceed the minimum requirements such as the Standard First Aid with CPR-HCP offered through St. John Ambulance which is a course developed specifically for Health Care Professionals.
Note: First Aid certification with CPR-C is a requirement for registration and does not qualify for CE credit.
Radiation Safety
The College has introduced enhanced guidelines and reporting requirements for the operation of radiographic equipment. These include:
Registrants must report any of the following scenarios to the regulator:
- Recertification of any existing radiographic equipment where you practise;
- Install of new or used equipment at any locations where you practise;
- Change of ownership of any radiographic equipment; and,
- Decommissioning of radiographic equipment.