Question: Are occupational therapists permitted to delegate any controlled acts to others?
Answer: No, occupational therapists are not permitted to delegate controlled acts to others. There are 14 controlled acts in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA). Controlled acts are high risk activities that require specific knowledge, skill, training and judgment and therefore restricted under the legislation.
Occupational therapists who perform controlled acts as part of their practice (such as psychotherapy, acupuncture or other acts under legal delegation) are expected to follow legislative requirements and must not delegate these tasks to others. Delegating these tasks to others can result in harm to the client, professional liability issues, and disciplinary action for failing to uphold the expected standards of practice.