The Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) is a statutory body established under The Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act, 1965 and Regulations of 1974, with adjustments made to reflect changes in 1995 and 2005. The Council reports to the Minister of Health who appoints its members.
The Council acts as a regulatory board for 10 professions:
Medical Laboratory Technologists
Speech & Language Pathologists
Occupational Therapists
Physiotherapists
Public/Environmental Health Inspectors
Dietetic assistants
Nutrition assistants
Audiologists
Radiographers
Dietitians/Nutritionists
The CPSM enforces the Act by ensuring:
- “Individuals trained in the regulated professions are duly qualified to be licensed to practise in Jamaica
- Individuals who have trained overseas who wish to practise in Jamaica are duly registered.
- Practising Health-care Professionals maintain proper standards of conduct.
Disciplinary Actions
The Council has the power to:
- Strike health professionals from the Register when they do not comply with renewal
- Suspend a member found guilty of professional misconduct or criminal offence.
The Council also has the authority to:
- Mandate rehabilitative measures as a condition of the suspension, at the individual’s expense.
- Apply a late-fee charge where renewal of registration is not done within the prescribed period of April 1 to June 30 of the renewal year.
- Impose sanctions where a person not registered in a specified profession undertakes practice in that profession and uses the title for that profession without being registered by the Council as a member of that profession.