Change in Layout

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Change in Layout ("Renovation")

Pursuant to section 4.1(3) of the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, a direct owner must give to the registrar 30 days' written notice of any changes respecting the name or layout of the pharmacy.

Change in layout refers to changes in your original pharmacy diagram submitted to the College. These changes may include, but not limited to:

  • Changing the location of a physical requirement (e.g. moving the double stainless steel sink from the left side of the dispensary to the right);
  • Changing the measurements/size/area of physical requirements in the pharmacy diagram (e.g. expanding the size of the dispensary);
  • Adding or removing a physical requirement (e.g. adding a physical barrier to prevent access to schedule 3 products (i.e. lock-and-leave), adding a new consultation room, or removing part of the dispensing counter for putting in a new metal safe for narcotics);
  • Making changes to the fixture of the pharmacy (e.g. removing/adding a wall).

Refer to the pharmacy diagram checklist (community/telepharmacy or hospital) for the physical requirements in a pharmacy diagram.

Note that changes that do not impact the pharmacy diagram are not considered changes in layout for licensure purposes. Some examples include: changing the colour scheme of the pharmacy (e.g. wall/counter top), changing the “medication information” sign without changing the location, or changing the location of your microwave (not a physical requirement for licensure purposes).

The process and processing time for a change in layout application mirrors the same process as in applying for a new pharmacy licence (except ownership information is not required):

  1. Apply for a Change of Layout

    An authorized representative of the direct owner of the pharmacy must submit the following no later than 30 days before the start of the renovation:

     

    Allow up to 7 days for processing.

    Upon College approval of the pharmacy diagram, an email notification will be sent to the​ authorized representative named in the application.

    The College will also notify Health Insurance BC (HIBC) of the Ministry of Health of the change who will then initiate their processes for PharmaNet installation if the PharmaNet router needs to be moved.

  2. Renovate the Pharmacy

    Renovate the pharmacy as drawn in the new diagram approved by the College.

    It is the responsibility of the pharmacy owner to understand what the physical requirements are before renovating the pharmacy. Refer to Appendix B for further information.

    Notify the Licensure Department if there is a change in the diagram submitted in Step 1 or the expected completion date that was originally indicated in your application for Change of Layout to avoid delays in the next phase of the process.

  3. Pre-Opening Process

    The authorized representative must email the Licensure Department to confirm the expected completion date noted in the email notification in Step 2 and advise if there are any changes to the timeline.

    The authorized representative/manager must complete and submit the following documents to the College no later than 14 days after the completion date:

    Refer to the Pre-Opening Inspection Report and Digital Evidence section for the forms and documents needed.

    • Change of Layout Inspection Report with supporting digital evidence
      • Community Pharmacy/Telepharmacy: complete up to and including the Security section only
      • Hospital Pharmacy/Hospital Satellite: refer to the email sent after step 1 regarding which section(s) to complete
         

    To avoid delays in processing your pre-opening documents, the digital evidence must provide sufficient context for College staff to determine if the requirements are met. Digital evidence must be consistent with the pharmacy diagram previous submitted and approved; it must also be recently produced at the new pharmacy site. Digital evidence previously submitted for the same location or any other location is not acceptable. If there are photos that cannot be taken at the site, explain the reasons in the inspection report. Refer to the “Pre-Opening Inspection Report and Digital Evidence” section and Appendix B (Community or Telepharmacy) or Appendix C (Hospital or Hospital Satellite), before completing these requirements. The Appendices provide a list of recommended digital content and should be used as a reference when taking photos and compiling digital evidence.

    Allow up to 14 days for processing.

    If an on-site pre-opening inspection by a College Inspector is required, you will be notified after the above documents have been processed. The inspection will be scheduled in advance.

The authorized representative named in the application will receive a confirmation letter via email upon successful completion of the change application.

Note that this change process and requirements are specific to change of layout only. Should other changes accompany this change (e.g. change in direct owner/manager/operating name), a separate application for that particular change will also be required. See the Multiple Changes section in the Pharmacy Licensure Guide for more information.

Refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide for more information.

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