Branch MacMaster LLP  plays a leading role in managing regulatory issues for health professionals. We act as counsel for professional governing bodies advising on legislation, regulations, bylaws, the Health Professions Council scope of practice review and legislative review, applications for designation pursuant to the Health Professions Act, professional standards, professional discipline, and Health Profession Review Board proceedings. Within the discipline context, we act for inquiry and discipline committees on a broad range of topics including scope of practice issues, advertising, continuing education, sexual misconduct, and criminal offences. We have also been involved in advising colleges in relation to discipline following billing audit processes.

We act for medical doctors and other health professionals in the professional regulation context. Our lawyers have been actively involved in advising clients on registration, privileges, disciplinary matters, practice reviews, billing disputes and audits, human rights complaints, as well as coroner investigations and inquests.  We are frequently asked to assist health care practitioners with issues or disputes they may have with professional colleagues. We have represented clients before various administrative boards (including the Health Professions Review Board, the Hospital Appeal Board and the Medical Services Commission), and the governing bodies of a range of institutions and professions.

Within the discipline context, we have acted for discipline committees on a broad range of topics including scope of practice issues, advertising, continuing education, sexual misconduct, and criminal offences. We have also been involved in advising colleges in relation to discipline following billing audit processes. We also have experience acting for individual health professionals who are involved in regulatory issues particularly with their regulatory body and with the billing audit process.

We defend physicians and chiropractors in professional negligence claims before all levels of court.  

We have also defended colleges, physicians, health product manufacturers, and provincial health departments in class actions.

We act for general practitioners and specialists in relation to various hospital privilege issues before hospital committees and boards, the Hospital Appeal Board, the BC Supreme Court and the BC Court of Appeal.

We advise individuals, health regulators and health professionals, and hospitals on consent, confidentiality and privacy, refusal of treatment, termination and withdrawal of treatment, and patient records issues. We act for individuals on out of province medical coverage claims and Medical Service Plan out of province coverage appeals. We provide legal advice on assisted reproduction issues, as well as privacy matters.