The Professionsand Professional Reliance

Objectives Pillars Workshops – March 2009

Professional Reliance...

• goes beyond simply expecting an individual to apply competently a standard, practice or rule.

• requires professionals to exercise professional levels of discretion, care and due diligence

Definition of Professional Reliance

• The Model: “the practice of accepting and relying upon the decisions and advice of professionals who accept responsibility and can be held accountable for the decisions they make and the advice they give”.

• The component: “to rely upon the actions, judgment or advice of a professional” (from Professional Reliance Task Force Report).

(con’t)

• The component: Accountability is “the state of being answerable; responsibility; obligated to answer.” (from previously referenced Task Force Report).

• A quality: Deference is to accept the judgment or opinion of another professional; courteous submission, respect for the opinion of another professional.

“Beyond the Standard or Rule”

• Acts and regulations – FRPA (objectives)

– Professional Acts and Bylaws

• Non-statutory Conditions– Expectations and obligations

– e.g. local area agreements, best management practices

Professional Reliance Task Force

• Undertaken 2005 – 06• Led by the 4 resource professional

organisations: ABCFP, APEGBC, BCIA, CAB• Supported by Government (staff and $)• Final report issued July 2006

– Establishes a common definition and description of the key elements of professional reliance

– Makes 10 recommendations

Roles and Responsibilities

• PRTF report sets out the roles and responsibilities of the professions, members, public and government

• All are important – and in many cases are different albeit complimentary

• Report makes recommendations specific to government, industry and the professions

Follow-up by Professions

• All four professions have formally endorsed the report and posted it for members

• Individual initiatives as well as coordinated activities are underway– Professional development requirements– Practice guidelines and advisories – Practice reviews and audit programs

– Member workshops and seminars– Journal articles and web-based

communication– Updated and improved complaint and

discipline procedures– Professional reliance theme in public

communications– Joint publications and communications

• Other initiatives are being contemplated– Annual forum for

professions/government/employers

Opportunities for Cooperation between Government & Professions

• Development of (joint) practice guidelines – Note: not technical guidebooks– Jointly developed strategic approach– Address based on mutual priorities

• Identification of implementation issues

• Coordination of professional standards

Opportunities for Cooperation with Government

• Accelerated non-technical training in key areas (e.g., multi-party dispute resolution, decision documentation)

• Joint responses to professional reliance questions

• Conducting an annual forum

Government Responsibility

• Maintaining technical and scientific information (e.g., guidebooks)

• Training opportunities – ensuring sufficient continuing education opportunities are available to meet the demand

The Professional Practitioner

• Work within the legal realm of FRPA and many other statutes

• Outside the legal realm are opportunities to influence decisions– Delivery of results; communication; innovation

• Professional practice is founded on science, experience and knowledge– Incorporates a test of ‘reasonableness’

The Professional Practitioner

• Non Statutory Expectations– If expectations advance or promote stewardship then

the practitioner might incorporate – If they do not advance or promote stewardship then

the practitioner would not incorporate

• Professional practice includes fundamental principles, including– Understand how plans and actions affect stewardship– Utilize professional quality rationales– Sufficient detail for communication– Adaptable and quality assurance

What the Professions do

• Serve and protect the public interest

• Regulate resource practitioners

• Provide mechanisms for information and expectations– Guidance documents– Standards of practice and ethical conduct– Minimum levels for entry to the profession– Practice audits and management procedures– Notices to the Profession

What the Professions do

• Provide Continuing Competence programs – Professional development – Performance profiles, self assessments– Reference for employers and public

• Hold professionals accountable– Handle complaints

• Cooperation professions, employers, public– Task Forces, public review agencies