The College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC) is proud to introduce our plan to improve the quality of pharmacy services over the next three years. This document outlines goals and objectives covering a wide range of areas in pharmacy practice that make up the strategic plan. These areas are:
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This plan will help the College keep up with the rapid pace of change in pharmacy care that we have witnessed in the last few years and ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians meet the needs of the public.
This plan is the result of nearly a year of hard work by members of the College Board and staff. They were aided by a tremendous number of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, members of the public, and other stakeholders who also gave their time to provide their ideas and perspectives to the College. Their participation is valued and reflected in the plan.
Starting Spring 2014, watch for initiatives in the following areas:
The public's expectations on pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have changed a lot in the last years. To ensure that the public is receiving the highest quality care possible, the College will provide pharmacists and pharmacy technicians opportunities to work together to build a common understanding of their roles, skills and abilities. An innovative public awareness and engagement campaign will roll out in year three to share this common understanding with the public.
Strong relationships between healthcare professionals can have a very positive impact on the quality of care that patients receive. With this in mind, the College will investigate opportunities to support pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to build relationships with other healthcare professionals. In addition, we will seek ways to improve the relationships between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to enhance the quality of patient care.
In the last years, the needs of the public have changed, so the College must grow and evolve to ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are meeting those needs. Over the next three years, the College will make changes to the current scope of practice, including: integrating pharmacy technicians into community practice; introducing legislation to allow access to patient laboratory data; and removing restrictions and conditions that impact the ability to deliver safe, effective care. Better support will be provided to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to practice to their current scope through educational opportunities and enhanced communications.
As part of our plan to meet the changing needs of the public, the College will also review and update standards. Changes to standards will be introduced in many areas, including: pharmacy workload; continuing education requirements; pharmacy site inspections; and practice review systems. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are health professionals bound to a Code of Ethics, and our College will strengthen that commitment by prohibiting the sale of tobacco products in premises where a pharmacy is located, and prohibit the use of loyalty programs related to the provision of pharmacy services.
All professions face the challenge of effectively integrating new technologies into practice, and pharmacy is no different. The College aims to develop and utilize emerging technologies that improve the quality of pharmacy care. Technologies such as the next generation of PharmaNet (PNet) will provide a more comprehensive patient drug history to healthcare professionals and assist pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in making the best decisions for their patients.
Better health through excellence in pharmacy.
OUR MissionThe CPBC regulates the pharmacy profession in the public interest. We set and enforce standards and promote best practices for the delivery of pharmacy care in British Columbia.
The complete strategic plan is available here.
In September 2013 the Board of the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC) approved strategic goals and objectives for the next three years. With input from many stakeholders, the Board created a three-year plan for each goal. This process resulted in the development of the CPBC Three Year Strategic Plan, "Quality of Pharmacy Services to Optimize Patient Outcomes."
This plan focuses on improvements and initiatives in the following areas:
1. Public ExpectationsTo meet the expectations of the public, ensuring that the public understands our role, our dedication to continuous quality improvement, and our accountability to patients and the general public.
A. Create opportunities for the College, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other stakeholders to interact and discuss the role and value of the profession, and methods to align the profession with the needs and expectations of the public and other health professions.
B. Create a strategy to raise public awareness of the role, knowledge and skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with specific focus on the optimization of patient health outcomes and their commitment to:
To enhance communication, collaboration and relationship-building opportunities with other healthcare professionals, so we can better define and enhance our role on the healthcare team and support better health outcomes for our patients.
A. Work with other regulated healthcare professionals to identify interdisciplinary opportunities for collaboration and improvement in healthcare services.
B. Create opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to improve and enhance their practice by establishing a means in which they can deepen their relationships and understanding of each other's role.
To advance the profession by supporting pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to practice to their current scope of practice, and by increasing the scope of practice of our profession into areas that will improve our ability to deliver safe, effective care that is aligned with the healthcare needs of the public.
A. Support pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to practice to their current scope:
B. Develop and update legislation, policy, and tools to support future improved scope of practice:
To review and update standards of practice and ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are meeting those standards of practice in order to deliver safe and effective pharmacy care.
A. Review and map standards (Health Professions Act, Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, Professional Practice Policies, National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities) to ensure relevancy and consistency. Update standards in the following priority areas:
B. Develop a comprehensive, integrated document that incorporates standards, guidelines and indicators of good practice and standards.
C. Develop standards for pharmacy workload.
D. Strengthen enforcement and pharmacy inspections to improve compliance to the Health Professions Act.
E. Align Continuing Education requirements with evolving practice and standards.
F. Prohibit tobacco products in premises where a pharmacy is located.
G. Prohibit use of loyalty programs in relation to the provision of pharmacy services.
To support the development and utilization of current and emerging technologies when opportunities exist to enhance safe and effective pharmacy care.
A. Facilitate and advocate for enhancements to the PharmaNet (PNet) database so that a more complete drug history is available for clinicians.
B. Establish and provide e-access to current and comprehensive drug information and resources for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
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Email info@bcpharmacists.org