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Physiotherapists among those to be regulated
 DOCTORS, dentists and pharmacists won’t be the only health professionals to be regulated.
Joining them soon could be allied health professionals – physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists – as the Health Ministry (MOH) plans to introduce a new law to regulate
them.
Under the proposed Allied Health Professions Bill, a regulatory body called the Allied Health Professions Council will be set up to oversee conduct
and practice.
It will have the power to take disciplinary action against errant allied health professionals, including disqualifying them from practising and meting out fines of up to $50,000.
There are currently some 1,300 such health professionals.
The proposed law will also make it an offence for those who are unqualified to misrepresent themselves by using the professional titles of the allied health professionals.
Others who treat patients directly, such as clinical psychologists and chiropractors, may be included at a later stage.
The Health Ministry hopes to introduce the Bill in Parliament this year, and hopes to have it passed next year.
A public consultation exercise on the proposed Bill is on till Oct 7.
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