Delegation of Controlled Acts and the Use of Medical Directives

The Legislative Framework - In Ontario, the Regulated Health Professions Act (the “RHPA”) governs and regulates the practice of twenty-two health professions. The RHPA establishes legal principles that are applicable to all of the regulated health professions. In addition, there are twenty-two profession specific acts that regulate the individual professions.
The RHPA establishes a general prohibition against the performance of thirteen controlled acts unless specific criteria are satisfied. Each profession, pursuant to the terms in its profession specific act, is authorized to perform the controlled acts that are appropriate for that profession’s scope of practice. The RHPA contains a number of exceptions that permit individuals who are not members of a regulated health profession to perform controlled acts under certain specific circumstances. As well, the RHPA contains a number of exemptions allowing anyone to perform procedures that would otherwise be prohibited pursuant to the controlled acts model.