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Regulation

Navigating Amalgamation: From The Regulator’s Perspective

Incite, July 18, 2024August 6th, 20248 min read

This is the final article in a three-part series on amalgamation in the regulator landscape in Canada. We have partnered with The Regulator’s Practice to share insights from industry experts and regulators who have experienced the consolidation process firsthand.

Dianne Millette

Carin Plischke

We caught up with Dianne Millette and Carin Plischke, the two dedicated leaders at the helm of the newly amalgamated multi-profession colleges in BC following an amalgamation process that involved consolidating 11 regulatory colleges into just two.

With the ink barely dry from the official amalgamation on June 28th, Dianne, CEO of the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC, and Carin – CEO of the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC reflect on their initial experiences, what’s helping to unite the health profession regulators under this new structure and what’s ahead as they work to lead the changes.

Q. Can you take us back to the beginning? How did you first hear of the news that you might be part of an amalgamation?

Dianne:  When we first heard about the Minister of Health’s interest in amalgamating colleges, it was still conceptual. That went forward to consultation, with lots of feedback and different perspectives on amalgamation, including what would make sense in terms of who should amalgamate, etc. Then a steering committee was formed and developed recommendations, including what you see today two amalgamated colleges, one of seven and one of four. Lots of collaborative work was done to prepare us for it. I felt it was an innovative idea that could lead to opportunities and efficiencies, especially for some of the more moderately sized regulators, which we were one [at the time, Dianne was the Registrar and CEO of the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia].

Carin: Health professionals don’t work in isolation from each other, so this is an opportunity for the regulators to modernize and support team-based care in terms of how professionals already deliver health services to their clients and patients, and to align where they are more similar, while maintaining the uniqueness as professions where it makes sense to do so.

Q. How did your colleagues/fellow regulators take the news?

Carin: There was some hesitation from some partners, registrants and the public around ‘what is this going to look like’? Our key message for that period was ‘We’re amalgamating regulation, not professions,’ meaning, we are amalgamating the functions of being a regulator, but the uniqueness of each profession remains intact.

”We’re amalgamating regulation, not professions.

Dianne: Several regulators saw this as an opportunity to improve regulation and others were concerned about maintaining professional identity and questioning how that would be done. Thinking about the actual infrastructure of regulation and how you bring quite disparate professions together in the context of regulation was an initial concern.

Q. Was the path forward clear to you or did that make itself known as you dug into the process?

Dianne: Along the journey, we’ve learned about different opportunities to maintain profession-specific expertise and interest as a multi-professional regulator. But we also had lessons learned from other multi-disciplinary regulators within British Columbia, which there were a few already, and globally, in the United Kingdom and Australia. I think we learned from them that we’re more similar than we are different. It is a process too, to work through and demonstrate unity as an outcome of multi-disciplinary regulation.

Carin: While there have been other amalgamations – particularly from our colleagues in British Columbia – they have been similar professions coming together. Our amalgamations consisted of bringing together very different regulators who have regulated different professions, and that’s where they are unique.

Dianne: That’s exactly it. To figure out a path forward, was difficult because it’s unprecedented and there is no playbook for it. This amalgamation was also mandated, whereas the other amalgamations were voluntary, which added a different dimension. We kept using the language ‘there is no playbook’, but it was true. A lot of it was being figured out as we went, and I think we still have lots to do.

Q. What areas felt the most daunting and where did you seek support?

Dianne: This kind of process is quite difficult from a change management perspective for staff. While we were expecting that, the support required around change management and communications can’t be underestimated in this process. I also recognized early on that we didn’t have the in-house expertise to make this work from a project-management perspective. So, seeking support was a must.

Carin: I agree with Dianne. A learning that’s been tough is going through the Human Resources aspect of not only change management, but the whole realm of people in the workplace. This process has been about the people, before the amalgamation and during the amalgamation. The people and culture will continue to be what the amalgamation is about in the days and years to come.

Q. How did you prepare your staff for the culture to shift?

Carin: To prepare, we held several sessions to update employees, as we learned more information or decisions were being made, to engage them in the process. Beyond that, what I found most meaningful for staff to feel engaged, were staff-coordinated events to get to know each other. I must commend the staff for having the courage to self-organize some special moments to get to know each other. It was some of the most critical preparations.

Dianne: We also had external change management and communications support, which helped. We’re slowly creating the culture we would like to see in the new organization. So, I think we have to respect the fact that it will take time to create and solidify a new culture. It’s a coming together, but it’s not a federated model – staff don’t need to come in with worries about their professional identity.

Q. How did sessions with external consultants help drive successful transformation?

”For staff to provide input on naming the colleges and building the brand has helped them to identify with it.

Carin: Early on, we had a few sessions to learn about the culture of our current college, and what was important to us in the new college. Those facilitated sessions were valuable, but at the time they felt very high level. So, when the brand was unveiled, it was quite overwhelming to see how those sessions translated into our current brand, embodied our vision, the use of colours, and the inclusion of local Indigenous perspectives. It was quite impactful to see what felt small, perhaps, at the time become something quite meaningful for the staff.

Dianne: I would agree. That was the first opportunity to engage with the brand and come together as a larger team. Having an opportunity for staff to provide input on naming the colleges and building the brand, then for them to see the outcome of the work has helped them to identify with it.

Carin: When the logos and the college names were unveiled, I felt that staff connected and attached to something probably for one of the first times. I have to say, you could feel the emotion and excitement. I have heard a lot of positive feedback that staff really like the brand: they relate to it, they relate to the vision behind it but they really relate to the messaging from Elder Sulksun of Musqueam Nation. I don’t know if it would have been as impactful without the Indigenous meaning behind it.

Q. Now that the amalgamation date has passed, the integration work continues in earnest. What are your current priorities?

Dianne: We are prioritizing allowing staff to stabilize and take a breath. It’s been a super busy time, with lots of change. They’re not necessarily doing different work, but working with different teams, leaders and team members. So, our immediate priority is to make sure that people are settled in the new college and that they feel welcomed and supported.

Carin: As Dianne said, taking time to slow down and breathe. Staff have gone above and beyond in terms of supporting each other through this process, with additional hours through the transition, both professionally and personally. It’s also a time to find solutions to the day-to-day questions over the next couple of months, which are some of the most meaningful things for the employees.

Q. What would you share with regulators facing their own amalgamations?

Dianne: I think one thing I’d share is that close to the date of amalgamation, there was an absolute confluence of many issues that came together. Suddenly, it was three weeks out and there was so much to absorb and put together. I’d advise any regulator involved in an amalgamation to stay involved in the planning along the way and to understand what is planned because there is an awful lot that comes together at the 11th hour that you need to be prepared for.

Carin: What comes to mind is to start the people and HR planning at the onset. I’d also recommend having project management support, right from the beginning of the project, and a vision statement of what we’re all working toward. Everybody is going in different directions. So, having a vision statement as a true North Star to always go back to is important.

”I’d advise any regulator involved in an amalgamation to stay involved in the planning along the way and to understand what is planned because there is an awful lot that comes together at the 11th hour.

Dianne: I think the expertise needed for this work can’t be underrated. Seek professional project management, amalgamation and communications expertise as early as possible.

As Dianne and Carin integrate operations and solidify their roles within the newly formed colleges, their experiences provide invaluable lessons for other regulators. They emphasize the need for early and thorough planning, project management expertise and clear communication throughout the process. Their amalgamation journey highlights the importance of unity in the face of adversity, strategic planning and ongoing communication.

Incite is a strategic consulting firm supporting clients with marketing and brand strategy, M&A communications and integration, and strategic planning. We have significant experience in working with regulators and our team of skilled strategists understands the nuances of the regulatory spaces and the complex considerations of amalgamations.

The Regulator’s Practice is a collective of experienced regulatory practitioners with a passion for supporting the leaders who have chosen to serve and protect the public. The Practice works with professional regulators across the country to navigate their unique challenges and develop governance and strategy solutions to fulfill their public protection mandate.

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