Stronger together
Canada’s pharmacy associations work together on key, critical issues affecting the profession in support of strong associations, exceptional pharmacists and healthy Canadians. This CPJ feature highlights some of the advances being made at pharmacy associations across the country.
British Columbia Pharmacy Association (BCPhA) | bcpharmacy.ca
BCPhA launches Canada’s first pharmacy manager training program: On June 15, 2018, the College of Pharmacists of BC mandated that all British Columbia pharmacy managers must undertake training so they understand all responsibilities of their role, especially for new pharmacy managers. The College approached the BC Pharmacy Association to develop a new training program for community pharmacy managers that would help guide pharmacy managers in their role. The B.C. Community Pharmacy Manager Training Program launched July 12 and is designed to equip pharmacy managers and pharmacists planning to become managers with the most up-to-date regulatory requirements. This course offering is the first of its kind in Canada and is open to all pharmacists across the country. For more information, go to https://t.bcpha.ca/pmtraining.
Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA) | rxa.ca
Based on updated clinical evidence, revised Alberta Government policy and the new agreements with the Alberta Government for pharmacist compensation, RxA is preparing updated professional development programs for pharmacists administering public health vaccinations. RxA is also updating the annual influenza course to reflect changes in government policy allowing pharmacists to provide injections to Albertans 5 years of age and older. Additionally, beginning in January 2019, the Alberta Government has approved pharmacists to administer the pneumococcal vaccine. As such, RxA is developing an updated educational program to prepare pharmacists for the launch of the pneumococcal program.
Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan (PAS) | skpharmacists.ca
PAS has been participating in provincial contract negotiations, a PAS Board retreat and the aligning of our priorities to the strategic plan. PAS has completed a successful year-long online and in-person medication assessment series with the support of the Medication Assessment Centre at the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan. The organization is preparing for the upcoming influenza season and supporting the expansion of the funded program to children age 5 and older and in patients’ private and congregate living homes. We continue to work with provincial partners in the newly formed Saskatchewan Health Region promoting the role of pharmacists in primary care as well as promoting new minor ailment and self-care conditions to the public.
Pharmacists Manitoba | pharmacistsmb.ca
The advocacy activities of Pharmacists Manitoba are designed to advance our mission, which is to enhance the recognition and compensation of professional services while inspiring excellence in practice. We support efforts by the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba to amend regulations to further expand pharmacists’ prescribing authority. Pharmacists Manitoba is also collaborating with the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba and the College of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba to establish laboratory test ordering by community pharmacists as a fee-for-service model. The annual meeting of federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Health took place June 28-29 in Winnipeg. Pharmacists Manitoba was pleased to partner with Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada and the Canadian Pharmacists Association for a casual reception as part of the event.
Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) | opatoday.com
OPA proposes pharmacy platform to create capacity in health care: In the process of welcoming a new provincial government, OPA and the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada launched a 4-point strategy to improve health care in Ontario by enabling pharmacists to practise to their fullest extent. The Ontario Pharmacy Platform is clear, with a laser focus on the patient. Implementing measures to expand pharmacists’ abilities to provide care would enable the next Ontario government to increase capacity throughout the health system, providing alternative levels of care and capacity, in a way that is cost-effective, beneficial to patients and supportive of a more collaborative model of enhanced interprofessional care. To learn more about the strategy, visit https://goo.gl/foZpzf.
Association québécoise des pharmaciens propriétaires (AQPP) | aqpp.qc.ca
The AQPP has reached an agreement with the Health Minister on a new compensation model for Quebec pharmacies. This agreement provides for the gradual introduction of a new reimbursement model. This agreement also includes the gradual introduction of new value-added clinical activities for patients. Three of those services were already authorized by Bill 41 but were unpaid: administration of a drug for teaching purposes, substitution in case of back-ordered products and prescription adjustments to ensure patient safety. Under the new agreement, 2 new clinical activities will be added to those already reimbursed, namely, hospital discharge and palliative care management. The AQPP and Ministry have agreed to work through December 2018 to finalize the full redefined reimbursement model for implementation April 1, 2020.
New Brunswick Pharmacists Association (NBPA) | nbpharma.ca
A New Brunswick study shows that patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) can access effective and fast treatment from pharmacists. Released at the Canadian Pharmacists Conference in Fredericton and published in this issue of CPJ, the peer-reviewed study is the first comprehensive evaluation of community pharmacist assessment and management, including prescribing, for uncomplicated UTIs. Conducted between June 2017 and April 2018, the study enrolled 750 patients who sought help at pharmacies for symptoms of an uncomplicated UTI or had a new prescription from a physician for a UTI. At the 2-week follow-up, 88.9% of patients reported that their symptoms had resolved. The study also found that patients could access a pharmacist an average of 1 day faster compared with a physician.
Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia (PANS) | pans.ns.ca
PANS continues to work on research projects to further the profession of pharmacy in the province. The Community Pharmacist-led Anticoagulation Management Service (CPAMS) has been so successful that it has captured the attention of hospital emergency room and international normalized ratio clinic physicians seeking ongoing care for warfarin patients who do not have a family physician to help them manage their treatment. PANS is working with these groups and the Department of Health and Wellness to develop a process by which patients can access CPAMS without being a participant in the research project. This is one of many ways PANS is demonstrating how pharmacy teams can help during the current Nova Scotia health care crisis and into the future.
Prince Edward Island Pharmacists Association (PEIPhA) | peipharm.info
Numerous important issues have emerged on the national landscape. Drug shortages, the opioid crisis, the legalization of cannabis, expanding scope—the list goes on! The PEI Pharmacists Association has been active provincially and regionally in an advisory role on these issues and more. Although this involvement makes for extremely busy times, it is significant that pharmacy has established a place in these important conversations. Much work lies ahead in the immediate future and beyond. We look forward to continued collaboration with our provincial association counterparts and our national body, CPhA, as we ensure that the invaluable voices of pharmacists are heard.
Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL) | panl.net
PANL has been actively planning our 2018 Annual Conference, with a theme of Engage. Educate. Evolve. Taking place September 21-23 in St. John’s, NL, this year’s conference will provide delegates with unprecedented access to networking opportunities as well as a comprehensive slate of Continuing Education sessions focused on the ever-evolving nature of pharmacy practice. This year we are also looking at ways to better engage our pharmacy students in our conference planning to ensure that the Continuing Education program, and the conference in general, meet their needs as they prepare for their future profession. PANL invites attendees from all our partnering associations to attend. To register, visit www.panl.net.
Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) | afpc.info
AFPC is the national voice for academic pharmacy, providing leadership for the faculty members across Canada who are educating 5300 future pharmacists each year. AFPC’s 2018 annual conference was held June 12-15 in Ottawa. Congratulations to AFPC 2018 award winners! Faculty winners: Huy Ong (Montreal); Kim Sponagle (Dalhousie); Mohsen Sadatsafavi (UBC); Elaine Lillie (Waterloo); Sheryl Zelenitsky, Robert Renaud, Shawn Bugden (Manitoba); Cheryl Cox (Alberta). Student winners: Walaa Ali Abulsunun (Toronto); Tasneem Siyam (Alberta); Paul Malik (Waterloo); Amani Hamad (Manitoba); Lockhart Jamieson (Alberta); Anne-Marie Bégin (Montreal); Jeffrey Tso (Toronto). A special thanks to AFPC conference and award sponsors: GSK, Janssen, Merck, Pfizer, Council for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education, Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy and Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada.
Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) | pharmacists.ca
CPhA has launched the Canadian Pharmacists Scope (CPS) 20/20 initiative to define and drive a future-forward harmonized scope of practice for Canadian pharmacists. At the Canadian Pharmacists Conference in June, the Professional Practice Working Group announced the following 4 pillars as the starting framework:
Prescriptive authority: Pharmacists can prescribe medications.
Dispensing authority: Pharmacists can dispense medications.
Medication administration authority: Pharmacists can administer medications.
Health test authority: Pharmacists can order, receive, conduct and interpret health tests.
This broad framework envisions pharmacists practising to their full scope within their own competencies, leveraging their medication expertise to optimize patient care and outcomes. The CPS 20/20 will help drive a process to ensure that all Canadians have access to a common set of pharmacists’ services.
SPOTLIGHT: Pharmacare – Get involved.
In June 2018, the federal government launched a public consultation on how to implement pharmacare across the country. The question is not IF, but HOW.
As the profession that sees issues in drug access most acutely, we believe it is essential that pharmacists be at the table. This is why CPhA has been actively engaging with the Council to ensure pharmacists are strongly represented at each step of the consultation process. This means that pharmacists will be participating at each of the provincial roundtables and that CPhA will have an opportunity to meet directly with the Council to discuss our vision for improving drug access and medication services in Canada.
It is also important for pharmacists from across the country to take an active role and provide their feedback directly to the Council by participating in the online consultation at letstalkhealth.ca/pharmacare.
For more information, you can go to www.pharmacists.ca/advocacy.