New authority to regulate personal support workers launches in Ontario

A new public registry for personal support workers (PSWs)  in Ontario has just come into effect and while voluntary now, it is expected to eventually become mandatory, and expand to other classes of health care providers.

The Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) stems from legislation introduced in 2021, and officially came into being on Dec. 1, 2024

It's an independent regulatory body that reports to government.

Kathy Wilkie is the CEO and says the registry will uphold certain standards in the profession.

"There is a requirement to meet certain education requirements," she said. "There is a requirement to abide by a code of ethics and then we do have a system for complaints and discipline procedures, if necessary."

The information about registered PSWs will all be publicly available online, and Wilkie says the intent is to create transparency and accountability, especially in the wake of complaints about the care of vulnerable seniors raised during the pandemic.

"We believe that if PSWs want to demonstrate that they have met a certain standard, that they are delivering safe, quality, ethical care," said Wilkie.

"And by registering with the oversight authority, they have the opportunity to use a visual mark, which is only for those who are registered. It demonstrates to their employer or to those they're providing care to that they have met a standard and they are committed to delivering safe care."

So far, the authority can only handle complaints about registered PSWs, and Wilkie said about 600 have applied so far out of more than 100,000 in the province

Wilkie said they're rolling out social media to promote the registry, now that it's in effect, and says its free and voluntary to join, for now, but the government may take steps to change that in the future.

One employer in Sudbury said the registry definitely has some good points, but it isn't pushing employees to join just yet.

Jill Rogers is the chief clinical officer at Finlandia Village.

She especially likes the authority's emphasis on standardizing education and training and would gladly let it do the legwork to ensure PSWs meet qualifications, especially after the proliferation of online schools because of COVID.

"It's very difficult right now for employers, and probably PSW students, to ensure that they are getting the proper courses and going to the proper schools and having the right education,"