We Welcome Your Feedback – Consultation on Draft Standards of Practice
The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO) is updating the Standards of Practice for Massage Therapy in Ontario. Standards of Practice play a key role in healthcare regulation and public protection by setting the requirements and expectations for all Massage Therapists (MTs/RMTs) in Ontario, regardless of their role or practice setting. Standards of Practice are critical to the delivery of safe, effective and ethical Massage Therapy treatment.
Feedback from RMTs, Massage Therapy clients and other stakeholders is essential to shaping the new Standards of Practice. All feedback is anonymous. We welcome your feedback on any or all of the draft Standards of Practice.
Developing the Draft Standards of Practice
In developing the draft Standards of Practice, CMTO reviewed the existing CMTO Standards, legislation, policies, guidelines, complaints data and standards from similar organizations in Ontario, across Canada and internationally. CMTO has also engaged with RMTs, holding two focus groups in December 2019. The purpose of the focus groups was to gather information and feedback about the existing Standards. RMTs who participated in the focus groups represented diverse perspectives of the profession, coming from across the province, a variety of practice settings and with different levels of experience. CMTO also created a Standards of Practice Advisory Group (SPAG), comprised of RMTs from across the province with varying experience and backgrounds. The SPAG provided input into the development of the new Standards, making suggestions and recommendations on proposed content and wording, and offered solutions to identified issues.
About the Draft Standards of Practice
- The Standards are outcomes-based and aim to provide the fewest prescriptive requirements as possible while protecting public safety. The content of the Standards was determined by risk analysis for public protection.
- The Standards were drafted with the client in mind. A client outcome statement will help clients understand what to expect from their Massage Therapist.
- The Standards are applicable in all practice settings, even those that may be considered non-clinical in nature. For example, a teacher modelling treatment while instructing a student would be expected to meet the requirements set out in the Standards.
- RMTs may apply/implement the Standards in a way that is appropriate for their practice, as long as they first meet all the minimum requirements outlined in each Standard of Practice.
- Contravening or failing to maintain a Standard is an act of professional misconduct under CMTO’s Professional Misconduct Regulation.
- Whenever applicable, the same requirements apply to paper or electronic documents or forms of communication, including but not limited to records, logs, receipts and communications.
Each Standard of Practice is organized by the following headings:
- Registered Massage Therapist Outcome: Describes the expected outcome for which RMTs are responsible.
- Client Outcome: Describes what the client can expect from RMTs who are meeting the Standard of Practice.
- Requirements: Describes the minimum requirements that all RMTs must adhere to when meeting the Standard of Practice.
- References: Lists the relevant legislation(s).
- Resources and Guidance: Offers links to other practice resources that provide more detail on how to apply or implement the Standard of Practice. This section is intended for the reader who wants to learn more about a Standard of Practice or its requirements.
- Related Standards of Practice: Lists Standards of Practice that overlap or contain related concepts.
- Related Career-Span Competencies (CSCs): Lists the CSCs of STRiVE – the Quality Assurance Program.
- Glossary: Key terms are defined in an accompanying glossary. The first time a key term appears in each Standard of Practice, it is bolded.
Draft Standards of Practice for Consultation
Acupuncture
Client-centred Care
Collaboration and Professional Relationships
Communication
Conflict of Interest
Consent
Draping
Fees and Billing
Infection Prevention and Control
Prevention of Sexual Abuse (see Professional Boundaries)
Privacy and Confidentiality
Professional Boundaries (see Prevention of Sexual Abuse)
Safety and Risk Management
Glossary (You may want to have the Glossary open as you review each Standard, the bolded terms are defined in the Glossary.)
For each draft Standard of Practice that you choose to provide feedback on, you will be asked to consider whether the draft Standard of Practice:
- is easy to understand,
- can be implemented in practice, and
- includes all relevant expectations.
You can also provide general feedback for each draft Standard of Practice and overall feedback at the end of the survey.
Take the Survey
Thank you for providing feedback by November 16, 2020 at 11:59 EST.
If you have questions about the consultation or the draft Standards of Practice, please contact feedback@cmto.com.
Next Steps and Implementation
Following the consultation, CMTO will analyze all feedback and work with the Standards of Practice Advisory Group to address identified issues. The revised draft Standards of Practice will be reviewed and ultimately approved by Council in 2021 for implementation in 2022. This will give RMTs time to familiarize themselves with the new Standards of Practice before they go in effect.
Following approval of the new Standards of Practice, CMTO will also rescind and/or transition several CMTO policies and resources to remove duplication and ensure alignment with the new Standards of Practice. The intention is to also rescind the Technique Standards when the new Standards of Practice are implemented. Until the new Standards are released, the current CMTO Standards of Practice remain in effect.