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The College Response to COVID-19
Posted: April 6, 2020
Publié le 6 April 2020
To help minimize staff exposure and threat of spread of COVID-19 to the community, the College is operating a virtual office until further notice.
The College is committed to taking steps to do our part in addressing the current pandemic.
We know that the healthcare system is facing extraordinary demands now and that this will only increase in the coming weeks and months. We have made adjustments to various programs to account for the increased needs of our healthcare system to focus on other priorities right now. Where we can, we have put measures in place to maintain operations as much as is reasonably possible. This is in keeping with our mandate to regulate the profession of dietetics in the public interest, while adhering to guidelines from both health and government officials.
Work Setting Adjustments for Registered Dietitians
Governments at all levels and Canada’s public health experts are warning of the high need for physical distancing. Dietitians are asked to use their professional judgement to prioritize essential services, work remotely where possible, assist with atypical tasks and suspend non-essential services for your patients/clients. This advice will depend on your employment setting and we encourage you to continue seeking direction from your employer and the College’s practice advisors.
Wherever possible, dietitians are encouraged to provide remote services to clients and to discontinue non-essential services.
- If you work in a hospital, a long-term care home, or any other health care facility, adhere to your employer requirements. We are aware that dietitians may be re-deployed to assist with tasks that are not typically part of the dietetic scope. They should work with their employers and other team members to ensure that this is done safely, ethically and competently. Dietitians may also contact the College’s Practice Advisory Service for guidance (see below for details).
College Operations
To help minimize staff exposure and threat of spread of COVID-19 to the community, the College is operating a virtual office until further notice.
The College has a pandemic plan and systems in place to ensure that staff are fully equipped to provide services to the public and members while working remotely. During this time, it will be best to contact staff by email. Click here for the Staff Directory
Please note: you may experience delays in service while we adjust to the demands of this new situation.
1. Courier packages cannot be received at the College office. Please use mail and registered mail which will be rerouted at an alternative location.
2. Hand-delivered packages will not be received at the College. Please use mail or registered mail to deliver your packages. They will be rerouted to another address.
3. There are no walk-in visits at the College. Please call the College for information.
The Practice Advisory Service is Available.
You are encouraged to email or call the College’s Practice Advisors for advice concerning your practice, whether in relation to COVID-19 or any other practice issues (see below for more details). In addition, the College’s Pandemic Guide has been revised and is available as a resource. Please refer to the Guidelines for Frequently Asked Questions, including in cases where dietitians are asked to perform tasks outside of the dietetic scope of practice.
For Practice Advice, please email: practice.advisor@collegeofdietitians.org
Registration Processes Proceed As Usual.
We appreciate that the registration of healthcare professionals is a priority for regulatory bodies during this time and we are focusing our efforts to minimize issues or delays in registering qualified applicants. Applicants can follow the instructions on the website regarding applying to the College. The Registration staff will endeavour to process applications within the usual timelines. You will be notified when you become a temporary or general member, which will permit you to practice dietetics in Ontario.
The national Alliance of Canadian Dietetic Regulators, which is the body responsible for running the Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam (CDRE), is following the situation closely to determine next steps regarding the May 2020 administration. Further information regarding the CDRE will be made available shortly.
For Registration inquiries, please email: registration@collegeofdietitians.org
The Quality Assurance Program Making the Following Adjustments
to help dietitians focus on more pressing personal and professional priorities right now:
1. The 2020 administration of the Jurisprudence Knowledge Assessment Tool (JKAT) has been cancelled. Members who were due to complete the JKAT this year have been notified that they will be added to the 2021 cohort.
2. Step 1 of the Peer and Practice Assessment (PPA) has been postponed until at least September 14, 2020. Step 1 participants have already been advised of this change. This date will be revisited as the situation unfolds.
For Quality Assurance inquiries, please email: qacoordinator@collegeofdietitians.org
Complaints and reports processes
These processes are generally administered electronically, through email and fax. It is not expected that these matters will experience significant service interruptions. For inquiries regarding complaints and reports, including mandatory reports, please contact us.
Click here for the College’s COVID-19 updates.