The Government of BC has announced that Benson Cowan has been appointed as Director of Discipline to lead an independent discipline tribunal established under the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA), within the new Office of the Superintendent of Health Professions and Occupations Oversight.
Cowan brings significant experience to the role, having most recently served as Legal Counsel in the BC Ministry of the Attorney General where he conducted hearings before different tribunals including the Medical Services Commission and Health Care Practitioners Special Committee. He will start his role on September 23, 2024.
This appointment follows the appointment of Sherri Young to lead the Office of the Superintendent of Health Professions and Occupations Oversight (also known as the Superintendent’s Office), as announced in the government’s June 7 media release. The independent office will oversee the health colleges in BC that govern more than 120,000 regulated health professionals, ensuring colleges continue to be transparent, accountable, and operating in the public interest.
Learn more about the role of the Director of Discipline (page 10, page 13), as well as the Office of the Superintendent (page 9) in the Ministry of Health’s Health Professions and Occupations Act Q&A document (PDF).