Frequently Asked Questions

No, out-of-province nurse practitioners are not recognized prescribers in BC.  In order to prescribe, a person must be a “practitioner” as defined by PODSA.  While BC nurse practitioners are authorized under the provincial Health Professions Act to prescribe, out-of-province nurse practitioners do not fall within the definition of a “practitioner” in BC.

Depending on the drug and the situation, pharmacists should use their professional judgment to decide if it is appropriate to process a new or transferred nurse practitioner (out-of-province) prescription as an emergency supply prescription using the pharmacist’s ID as the prescriber. In all cases, clearly document the situation on the prescription.

According to the Health Professions Act - Bylaws Schedule F Part 1, upon request a pharmacist must transfer prescriptions to another pharmacy licensed in Canada, if the drug does not contain a controlled drug substance and the transfer occurs between a registrant and another registrant or an equivalent of a registrant in another Canadian jurisdiction. The Bylaw does not address transferring a prescription to the U.S. In the interest of positive patient outcomes registrants may use professional judgement and decide to transfer a prescription to a state that is allowed to accept transfers from Canada. However, once the prescription is transferred out of B.C. the pharmacy is not allowed to transfer the unused refills back to B.C.

Although the pharmacist accepts legal responsibility for the drug and its destruction, Health Canada no longer requires pharmacies to request and receive pre-authorization for local destruction of unserviceable narcotics and controlled drugs. This means that pharmacists may proceed with destruction without notifying and receiving acknowledgment from Health Canada in advance. All other requirements, including documentation, remain in place.

Guidance Document: Handling and destruction of post-consumer returns containing controlled substances

In certain exceptional circumstances, a pharmacist can dispense a prescription for a Controlled Prescription Program (CPP) drug from an out-of-province physician or Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) physician practitioner that's not on the Controlled Prescription Program form. In these situations, as with any exceptional cases, the pharmacist must use their professional judgment in their decision to dispense. The pharmacist can base their decision on the medical condition of their patient and surrounding circumstances.

However, it is the pharmacist’s responsibility to ensure that the prescription is legitimate, and that the practitioner is licensed to practise medicine, podiatry or veterinary medicine in Canada. It may be reasonable for some patients, for example those who live close to the B.C./Alberta border, to have a physician in Alberta, and their pharmacy in B.C. In those cases, it may be appropriate to continue to dispense a controlled drug prescription from outside of B.C.

In most other circumstances, however, if a particular patient makes a habit of asking for drugs without a CPP form, the pharmacist should refer the patient to a practitioner licensed to practise in B.C. or a CAF physician with CPP forms. Pharmacists should not continue to dispense the prescriptions.

To determine whether a loss should be reported and how to document, please see Health Canada’s Guidance on reporting loss or theft of controlled substances and precursors.

If a pharmacy professional declines to provide a pharmacy service on the basis of a conscientious objection, he or she is required to adhere to the Colleges’ Code of Ethics, Standard 1 (g)(iii), cooperating in effective transfers of care initiated by the patient (without needing to make a referral).

Pharmacy professionals need to inform their pharmacy manager and employer of a conscientious objection either before they accept employment or at the earliest opportunity.

Pharmacies should have a process in place to ensure that in the case where a pharmacy professional conscientiously objects to providing a service, the patient can be directed to an alternate provider for the service in a timely manner.

Standard 1: Registrants Protect and Promote the Health and Well-Being of Patients

(g) Registrants must provide pharmacy services requested by patients and may only refuse to provide these services for any of the following reasons:

(iii) the provision of the product or service is contrary to the sincerely held conscientious or religious belief of a registrant, in which case the registrant must ensure that:

• they have informed and explained to the pharmacy manager and employer of their conscientious or religious belief before they accept employment;
• if the belief is formed after employment is accepted, they inform the pharmacy manager and employer at the earliest opportunity; o they do not discuss their personal beliefs or ask patients to disclose or justify their own beliefs;
• they participate in a process designed to exercise their freedom of conscience and religion in a manner that respects the patient's right to receive products and services in a timely manner and in a way that minimizes suffering and hardship to the patient;
• they fulfill their duty of care to the patient in a manner that is nonjudgmental, continuous and non-discriminatory;
• in the event of failure of the system developed to ensure the timely delivery of the product or service, and notwithstanding the registrant’s conscientious or religious beliefs, they provide patients with enough information and assistance to allow them to make informed choices for themselves;
• they cooperate in effective transfers of care initiated by the patient and are not required to make a referral; and
• they do not rely on conscientious or religious beliefs in order to discriminate against any patient on morally irrelevant grounds including those outlined in Standard 3, Guideline g of this Code.

Yes, if the learning activity was accredited at the time you completed it, you can document it as accredited learning. Learning activities must occur within the last year (past 12 months) of your renewal date to be considered current.

No, pharmacies may either keep only electronic records, only hard copy records, or a combination of both.  Pharmacies that keep any form of electronic records containing personal health information must comply with the new technology requirements in s. 23.3 of the PODSA Bylaws by May 13, 2019.

Bylaw reference: PODSA Bylaws, s.23.3(1):

23.3. (1) A pharmacy may maintain electronic records containing personal health information if the pharmacy has the equipment, software and systems necessary for the input, storage, use, protection and retrieval of records that are required to be kept under bylaws of the college or other legislation that regulates the practice of pharmacy.

Only records containing personal health information are required to be maintained in a system that complies with s. 23.3 of the PODSA Bylaws.  This means that records such as invoices and documentation in respect of the purchase, receipt or transfer of drugs, confidentiality forms, narcotic reconciliation records, and other non-patient related records may be kept in electronic form in a system of the pharmacy’s choice.

The College does not have restrictions on cloud storage.  However, as with all records, pharmacies must ensure that data is stored and accessed in accordance with applicable privacy law.

Pharmacies that are private-sector organizations are governed by B.C.’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).  PIPA does not contain restrictions on the storage of, or access to, personal information from outside Canada.  Organizations subject to PIPA may therefore use cloud-based storage services outside Canada. Many community pharmacies will fall under this category.

Pharmacies that are “public bodies” are governed under B.C.’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).  Public bodies covered by FIPPA are, with some exceptions, required to ensure that personal information is stored and access only in Canada.  There is no exemption for cloud storage.  Hospital pharmacies and pharmacies run by a provincial health authority may fall under this category.  A private sector pharmacy that is under contract to a public body to provide pharmacy services for the public body may also fall under this category.

The PharmaNet database is subject to FIPPA.  Therefore, any information in PharmaNet or obtained from PharmaNet must be accessed, disclosed and stored in Canada. 

The business licence must be current and valid, and must list the name of the Direct Owner, the pharmacy (operating) name, and the correct pharmacy address. If the pharmacy licence does not contain separate areas for the pharmacy name and the Direct Owner name, the following format should be used: “[Direct Owner Name] DBA [Pharmacy Name]”.

For further information on business licence requirements, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

If your pharmacy or telepharmacy is located in a jurisdiction that does not issue a business licence, you should provide a letter or correspondence from the jurisdiction which confirms that they do not issue a business licence. You should upload the document in place of the business licence on eServices.

For further information on the business licence requirements, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The pharmacy licence renewal requirements vary depending on the type of ownership of your pharmacy. Most pharmacies in B.C. are owned by corporations and are required to submit the following:

• Ownership documents
• A copy of the current business licence issued by the municipality (if applicable)
• Proof of Eligibility from each Indirect Owner and the pharmacy manager
• Payment of the renewal fee

This checklist will provide details regarding the above requirements.

If your pharmacy is not owned by a corporation (i.e. hospital, university, sole proprietor, etc.), the renewal requirements will differ slightly.

For further information on renewal requirements, refer to the College website or the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The Authorized Representative(s) is responsible for ensuring that all renewal requirements are submitted before the deadline and will have access to submit most of this information. However, all Indirect Owners (if applicable) and the pharmacy manager will have to submit Proof of Eligibility as part of the renewal application. The pharmacy manager will also have access to submit a copy of the current business licence.

The renewal status can be monitored by the Authorized Representative(s) and the pharmacy manager on their eServices account. The Indirect Owners of the pharmacy will not be able to track the renewal status, or see the status of their Proof of Eligibility. Indirect Owners should reach out to their Authorized Representative(s) if they have questions about the renewal status of a pharmacy.

For further details on tracking the renewal status can be found in the ‘How can I track the status of my pharmacy renewal application?’ FAQ.​

All requirements must be received by the College no later than 30 days before the pharmacy licence expiry date. If the College has not received the requirements on or before the 30 day deadline, the pharmacy licence renewal application will be referred to the Application Committee for review and an administrative fee may be applied.

For further information on pharmacy renewal, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The Application Committee (AC) is a legislative committee established under the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act and Health Professions Act to review any pharmacy licence applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria, are incomplete, or have false or misleading information. The AC may issue, renew or reinstate a pharmacy licence (with or without conditions), or refuse to issue, renew or reinstate a pharmacy licence.

For further information on the Application Committee, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The Authorized Representative(s) of the Direct Owner of a pharmacy will be responsible for submitting licensure applications. For example, the Authorized Representative(s) of a pharmacy owned by a corporation will be the director(s) of the Direct Owner. Officers, shareholders, and pharmacy managers are not able to submit change applications.

For further information on each pharmacy application, refer to the College website or the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Pursuant to section 4 of the Pharmacy Operations General Regulation, the College must be notified as follows:

“(a)at least 7 days before a manager ceases to manage a pharmacy;
(b)at least 30 days before the location of a pharmacy changes;
(c)at least 30 days before a direct owner changes;
(d)at least 7 days before an indirect owner changes;
(e)on becoming aware that a direct owner has ceased to be eligible, under section 3 of the Act, to hold a pharmacy licence.”

Additionally, pursuant to section 4.1(3) of the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act (PODSA):

“a direct owner must give to the registrar 30 days' written notice of any changes respecting the name or layout of the pharmacy.”

Pursuant to section 18(8)(d) of the PODSA Bylaws, a pharmacy closure application must be submitted at least thirty days before the effective date of proposed closure.

Failure to submit an application within the correct timeline may lead to a delay in the application process or referral to the Application Committee.

A summary of the prescribed timelines for all pharmacy applications can be found in the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

If the same change applies to multiple pharmacies, you have two options to complete the change application for all applicable pharmacies:

1. Submit a change application for each pharmacy affected by the same change.
2. Submit a change application for one pharmacy and use Form 9: Pharmacy Licensure – Multiple Pharmacies to list all other pharmacies impacted by the same change.

For further information, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Typically the processing time for each phase of an application is 7 days. Some of the change applications have multiple phases which will add to the processing time. An application submitted without all the requirements may result in a delay in processing.

For further information on the timeline of each application, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Only the Authorized Representative(s) have access to view invoices and submit payment for a pharmacy licence renewal. In the ‘My Pharmacies’ section of eServices, click on the name of the Direct Owner (owner of the pharmacy). Once you have submitted the ownership requirements, you will land on the payment page. This page will have a ‘Print Invoice’ option that will print a list of all pharmacies due for renewal within the chosen month.

For further information regarding printing the invoice, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Yes, pursuant to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act Bylaws, the pharmacy hours, both when a pharmacist is on and off duty, must be reported to the College. This change can be reported by either the Authorized Representative(s) or the pharmacy manager in the Pharmacy Portal. To access the Pharmacy Portal, log into eServices, go to ‘My Pharmacies’ and scroll to the bottom of the page. At this point, you may have one of two views depending on your role(s):

• Authorized Representative: Click the '+' sign next to the name of the Direct Owner, and then the pharmacy name. On the next page you must click ‘Next’ at the bottom of both the ‘Profile’ and ‘Staff’ pages to access the ‘Services’ page. You may edit the start or end time by selecting the correct time in the dropdown menu on the corresponding day of the week. To save changes, click the ‘Next’ button once all hours have been updated.
• Pharmacy Manager: Click on the pharmacy name. On the next page you must click ‘Next’ at the bottom of both the ‘Profile’ and ‘Staff’ pages to access the ‘Services’ page. You may edit the start or end time by selecting the correct time in the dropdown menu on the corresponding day of the week. To save changes, click the ‘Next’ button once all hours have been updated.

For further information on updating the pharmacy hours, refer to the College website or the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Proof of Eligibility (POE) can be completed by logging into eServices, clicking 'My Profile' > 'Proof of Eligibility'. Complete the information on each of the pages, clicking ‘Next’ at the bottom of each page to navigate through the tabs. If applicable, the last tab provides instructions to complete the Criminal Record History (CRH) portion of the POE. The CRH will be completed on a third party site, and it may take up to 7 days for the College to receive the result. You will only have to complete a CRH once every 5 years. Once you have completed your POE, click the ‘Close’ button.

Note: POE must be completed on a desktop computer using one of the recommended browsers: Google Chrome or Internet Explorer.

For further information on Proof of Eligibility, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

CRH involves a search of criminal record history information in the databases of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and local police stations to determine whether the eligibility criteria to hold a pharmacy licence is met. Specifically, pursuant to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act (PODSA), “no direct owner, indirect owner or manager has, within the previous 6 years, been convicted of an offence under the Criminal Code (Canada)”.

If this eligibility requirement is not met by owners and managers, the pharmacy application will be referred to the Application Committee (AC) for review. After reviewing the pharmacy application, the AC may request additional information or evidence and may then issue, renew, or reinstate the pharmacy licence with or without conditions, or refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate the pharmacy licence.

The CRH search will be conducted by the Board-approved external vendor, Sterling Backcheck, a professional private criminal record check provider that partners with local police stations to provide results.

For further information on Criminal Record History, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Only Authorized Representative(s) of the pharmacy may check who has submitted their Proof of Eligibility on eServices. Indirect Owner(s) and the pharmacy manager can either contact an Authorized Representative to confirm that their attestation and Criminal Record History (CRH) have been submitted, or they may contact the Licensure Department via email at [email protected]. Note that the Licensure Department will not disclose the eligibility status of the Indirect Owner(s) or pharmacy manager.

Authorized Representative(s) may follow the instructions below to access the Proof of Eligibility information:

• Authorized Representative: Log into eServices and go to ‘My Pharmacies’. Scroll down and expand the list of pharmacies by clicking on the ‘+’ sign next to the name of the Direct Owner. Once you have expanded the list of pharmacies owned by that Direct Owner, scroll down the list to find the pharmacy due for renewal. This initial list view will provide the status of the ownership documents, attestation, CRH, business licence, and payment. To view the detailed list of Indirect Owners, click on the ‘Pending’ link under the Renewal Complete column. This detailed list will display all of the Indirect Owners and pharmacy manager, and whether or not they have submitted their attestation and/or CRH. This list does not disclose the eligibility status of the attestation and CRH.

For further information regarding the status of your pharmacy renewal, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The Privacy Officer at the College is responsible for ensuring compliance with the appropriate privacy legislation and can be reached at [email protected]. The College collects, uses, and discloses personal information in accordance with BC’s Health Professions Act (HPA), Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act (PODSA), Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and other applicable legislation. The College is committed to protecting your privacy and applies best practices in doing so.

For further information regarding privacy considerations, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The pre-opening inspection report must be completed as part of the New Pharmacy, Change of Layout, and Change of Location applications. Both items must be submitted:

1. Pre-Opening Inspection Report
2. Supporting Digital Evidence in the form of photos or videos

Appendix B in the Pharmacy Licensure Guide provides recommended content for digital evidence. If completing a New Pharmacy application or Change of Location application, you must provide digital evidence for all items. If you are submitting a Change of Layout application, complete up to the Security section only.

For further information on the pre-opening inspection, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Digital evidence (photos/videos) is required to show that your pharmacy has met all the physical requirements and that they adhere to the PODSA bylaws.  Photos should be taken from a few different angles/distances to provide context. A close-up photo of a physical requirement may not be sufficient; therefore you may need to step back 5-6 feet in order to put the physical requirement in context of its surroundings.

Delays in approving digital evidence are usually due to the following:

• Digital evidence was not provided for all physical requirements
• Context was not provided and the College cannot confirm compliance
• A physical requirement does not meet all descriptive requirements outlined in the PODSA bylaws

Appendix B in the Pharmacy Licensure Guide provides recommended content for digital evidence. If completing a New Pharmacy application or Change of Location application, you must provide digital evidence for all items. If you are submitting a Change of Layout application, complete up to the Security section only.

For further information on digital evidence, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

A company/corporation must maintain a Central Securities Register (CSR) in accordance with the requirements in the Business Corporations Act. This document lists the shareholders of the corporation. You can obtain this document from either the lawyer or law firm who incorporated your company, or from the individual who is responsible for maintaining this document within your corporation. This document must include: all shares issued by a company, the name and last known address of each shareholder, and the number, class and any series of any shares owned by that shareholder. This document must be certified by a lawyer or notary before being submitted to the College.

For further information on the Central Securities Register, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The process of purchasing or selling a pharmacy is considered a Change of Direct Owner. This application is submitted to the College by the new Direct Owner of the pharmacy (i.e., the purchaser). However, the current Direct Owner of the pharmacy (i.e., the seller), must confirm the change by signing the application form. The new Direct Owner must submit a Change of Direct Owner application and all applicable requirements to the College at least 30 days before the effective date of change. If updated corporate documents are unavailable 30 days prior to the change, the Deferred Submission of a Required Document(s) for Change Application form must be submitted with the Change of Direct Owner application.

For further information on a Change of Direct Owner application, refer to the College website or the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

The name of the Direct Owner of the pharmacy is printed on the current pharmacy licence. In most cases, the Direct Owner of the pharmacy is a corporation.  Indirect Owners of the pharmacy are the directors, officers, and shareholders of this Direct Owner corporation and/or any other corporations related to the ownership structure of this pharmacy. Indirect Owners can be individuals (pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, or non-registrants), or corporations.

• Directors: individuals identified on the Notice of Articles or BC Company Summary, issued by BC Registry Services. The majority of directors of the Direct Owner must be pharmacists. If the directors of a corporation change, you must submit a Change of Indirect Owner application, and the Notice of Change of Directors issued by BC Registry Services.
• Officers: individuals identified on the BC Company Summary or Annual Report issued by BC Registry Services. If the officers of a corporation change, you must submit a Change of Indirect Owner application, and the updated BC Company Summary issued by BC Registry Services.
• Shareholders: any individual or corporation that holds shares of the Direct Owner or Indirect Owner who is identified on the Central Securities Register of a non-publicly traded corporation. If the shareholders of a corporation change, you must submit a Change of Indirect Owner application and an updated certified copy of the Central Securities Register.

Note: If a shareholder is a non-publicly traded corporation, the directors, officers, and shareholders of this corporation are also considered Indirect Owners.

For further information on pharmacy ownership, refer to the College website or the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

To maintain a pharmacy licence, either the new Direct Owner must complete the Change of Direct Owner application and its requirements before the existing pharmacy licence expires, OR the current Direct Owner must renew the pharmacy licence before it expires. If the Change of Direct Owner application will not be completed before the pharmacy licence expires, the current Direct Owner should renew the pharmacy licence first. The new Direct Owner can submit the Change of Direct Owner application when the sale is confirmed. If the Change of Direct Owner application is not completed and the current Direct Owner did not renew the pharmacy licence before it expires, the pharmacy must remain closed. The new Direct Owner will then have to apply for a New Pharmacy Licence by following the New Pharmacy Licence process outlined in the Pharmacy Licensure Guide. All licensing fees are non-refundable.

Note: If the current Direct Owner will not be renewing the pharmacy licence, the new Direct Owner must inform the College of the Change of Direct Owner by submitting the Change of Direct Owner application before the pharmacy renewal deadline, i.e., 30 days before the licence expires. If all requirements for the pharmacy renewal application are not submitted before the deadline, and the College has not been informed of the Change of Direct Owner via an application, then the renewal is considered late and will be referred to the Application Committee for review and an administrative fee may be applied. 

For further information regarding a Change of Direct Owner application, refer to the College website, or the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Yes, non-pharmacists may have ownership of a pharmacy. However, the majority of directors of the Direct Owner must be pharmacists registered in BC. In order to meet the majority requirement, more than 50% of the directors must be pharmacists (regardless of who has the majority of shares within the corporation).

Note: All Direct Owners and Indirect Owners must also comply with the eligibility criteria outlined in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act. One of the criteria to hold a pharmacy licence is that “a person authorized by an enactment to prescribe drugs must not be a Direct Owner or an Indirect Owner.”

For further information on pharmacy ownership, refer to the Pharmacy Licensure Guide.

Only a notary public or lawyer will be accepted for notarizing your documents.  Other professionals, including a Commissioner for Oaths, will not be accepted.

Documents in a language other than English must be translated by a certified translator.  Thus, documents that require notarization, should be notarized first and then translated.

Your online student registration application and notarized documents should be received by the College office no later than September 1, before the start of your first year in the pharmacy program.

It takes at least 45 days days to process the application due to the Criminal Record Check (CRC).  If adjudication or fingerprinting is requested by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the processing time will be delayed.  Once your application has completed processing, you will receive a confirmation email..

Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed within 5 business days. Any changes or updates (including the addition of PEBC certification results) made to your application will require up to 5 business days to review. You will be notified by email of any updates to your application status.

Full registration applications are generally submitted online through eServices, although a paper application will be required for specific scenarios.  If the latter, instructions will be provided to the applicant.  You will be notified by email:

• If any required documents are rejected or missing;
• When there is an update to your application including instructions for submitting payment to complete your full registration;
• When your application is complete.

If any updated documents are required for your full registration application, most documents can be uploaded directly to the Full Registration online system unless otherwise instructed. These documents must be scanned in accordance with the requirements outlined in the College’s Scanning Guidelines and Checklist for Document Submissions document. Submitted documents will be rejected if they do not meet the scanning requirements.

Professional liability insurance may be provided by an employer or purchased yourself through a private insurance broker or membership with the BC Pharmacy Association. Your insurance must meet the three criteria listed on the Professional Liability Insurance for Pharmacy Professionals section of our website.

Refer to Appendix 1 of the Registration Committee Policy-1 for a list of the accepted ELP assessments.

ELP results are valid for 2 years from the date the exam was written. ELP results must be valid at the time that you begin your practical training for the Structured Practical Training (SPT) requirement.

Registration for the JE is completed online through eServices.Thus an applicant must be pre-registered with the College or registered as a student pharmacist in the final year of the pharmacy program at UBC, to be eligible to write the JE.

JE results are valid for 3 years from the date the exam was written.

The JE is based on legislation contained in federal and provincial acts, their regulations, bylaws and published College Professional Practice Policies that pertain to pharmacy practice and registrant (pharmacist or pharmacy technician) responsibilities in the practice of pharmacy.  Refer to the JE Information Guide for details.

Pharmacist applicants who are required to complete the SPT are required to complete 500 hours. Please refer to Registration Committee Policy 6 for the types of applicants who are required to complete SPT

Pharmacy technician applicants are required to complete 160 hours of SPT, if they graduated within the last 3 years preceding their SPT start date, or 500 hours of SPT if they graduated 3 years or greater preceding their SPT start date. Please refer to Registration Committee Policy 8 for details.

When received, up to 5 business days.  Once completed, a confirmation email will be sent.

Whether or not you are paid during your SPT, is an arrangement that is made between you and your site.  The College is not involved with this arrangement.

When received, up to 5 business days.  Once completed, a confirmation email will be sent.

You can complete your registration renewal once you have received your renewal notice, which is sent via email approximately 6 weeks before your registration expiry date.  You will not have access to submit your registration renewal application on eServices prior to receiving the renewal notice and fulfilling your CE requirements.  Refer to the Registration Renewal section on the College website for details on the renewal process. 

You will be transferred to the Former registrant category. As a Former registrant, you will not be permitted to practice pharmacy in B.C. and your access to PharmaNet will be disconnected. Your Drug Administration Certification (if applicable) will also be removed and you will be required to re-apply.

Please note that you will still have access to eServices to complete your renewal, for up to 90 days from your expiry date.  However, a late fee will be applied as per HPA Bylaw Schedule D – Fee Schedule.

You need to submit your online registration renewal application through eServices first, which includes the completion of your declarations (Statutory declaration, Professional Liability Insurance and Drug Administration re-certification, if applicable). When you reach the “Summary” tab, you will see a link to print the invoice to give your employer.  The employer can then mail the payment (cheque, bank draft or money order) along with this invoice or phone the College office to provide their credit card information (Visa or Mastercard).  Please note, Visa debit cards are not accepted.

If payment is not received, your registration renewal is incomplete.  It is a registrant’s responsibility to ensure payment is received at the College by their renewal due date.

All BC licensed pharmacies can be found in the system.  For all others, enter the name and address of your place of employment in the “Other Employer” text box in eServices.  The Registration Department will review the information, add your employer to the list, if applicable or they will contact you for further information.

You can print out your new wallet-size registration card through eServices under “My Profile” only when your current one expires because eServices is in real time.  For example, if a registrant completes their renewal before their renewal due date of October 31st, then the new card will be available on November 1st.

No, you must maintain at all times valid First Aid and CPR certification throughout your Drug Administration Certification and not let it lapse, otherwise your Drug Administration Certification will no longer be valid.  To become certified again, you may be required to re-complete a CCCEP-accredited drug administration training course and/or First Aid & CPR certification course. If you wish to acquire your drug administration certification again, email the Registration Department at: [email protected], immediately for the re-certification requirements.  Refer to renewal requirement #7 on the College website.

The CRC is completed for all registrants at least once every 5 years.  Thus, a new CRC is initiated in the 4th year because it must to be completed before you exceed the 5 year mark.  Further details can be found on the College website.

The College does not receive any specific details regarding the CRC.  We only receive confirmation of whether your CRC is cleared or not.  However, you can inquire directly with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General about sharing the details and results of your criminal record check with other organizations.

Place an order through eServices by clicking Events & Services  > Online Store and then choose “Certificate of Standing”.  When placing the order, enter instructions and/or the name and address of the regulatory authority where it needs to be sent in the “Order Instructions” field.  It takes 5-10 business days to process the order once received.

A Certificate of Standing must be mailed or emailed directly from the regulatory body(ies) to the College office and dated no earlier than 3 months from the date the pre-registration application was received.  

Place an order through eServices by clicking Events & Services > Online Store and then choose “Replacement of Registration Certificate”.  The College requires the original certificate to be returned to the College before a replacement certificate can be printed. However, if your certificate is lost, a notarized affidavit must be mailed to the College. The affidavit should state that you no longer possess the initial registration certificate you received because it is lost, and if the initial certificate is found, you must return one of the certificates to the College.

All registration classes are listed in section 41 of the HPA Bylaws, and individuals who are registered in any of those classes are collectively referred to as “registrants”.  The College currently has 10 registration classes, which can be grouped into 4 major types:

1. Full Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician
   • May practice pharmacy to their full scope of practice in British Columbia
   • Annual registration fee required
   • Professional liability insurance required
   • Professional Development and Assessment Program (PDAP) requirements must be completed for annual registration renewal
      
2. Non-Practicing Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician
   • May use the title “Pharmacist (Non-Practicing)” or “Pharmacy Technician (Non-Practising), but must not provide pharmacy services in British Columbia
   • Annual registration fee required
   • Professional liability insurance not required
   • PDAP requirements not required for annual registration renewal
   • Must apply for reinstatement to transfer back to the Full Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician category and to provide pharmacy services
   • This registration class is not available for initial registration with the College.  A Full Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician may transfer to this class at registration renewal.
      
3. Limited Pharmacist or Student Pharmacist
   • May provide pharmacy services only under the supervision of a Full Pharmacist, as they have not met all requirements for full registration.
   • Registration can be renewed twice for a maximum of three years for Limited Pharmacists; registration must be renewed annually until graduation for UBC students but no renewal for non-UBC students.
   • Annual registration fee is required for Limited Pharmacists.
   • Professional liability is required for Limited Pharmacists.
   • PDAP requirements not required for annual registration renewal.
   • Student Pharmacist registration is ceased at graduation. Pharmacy students who have graduated from their pharmacy program but wish to continue providing pharmacy services under the supervision of a Full Pharmacist may apply for Limited Pharmacist registration after graduation, if eligible.
   • Limited Pharmacist registration application must be reviewed by the Registration Committee.
      
4. Temporary Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician; Temporary Limited Pharmacist; Temporary Student Pharmacist
   • Temporary registration is only enabled under 45(1) of the HPA Bylaws.
   • Differences for each class can be found here: https://www.bcpharmacists.org/temporary-registration

For those who are not registered in any of the above classes, they are not a registrant and are termed a Former Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician if they were registered as a Full Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician with the College at one time.

• Must not provide pharmacy services and cannot use the reserved title “Pharmacist” or “Pharmacy Technician”
• Annual registration fee not required
• Professional liability insurance not required
• PDAP requirements not required
• Must apply for reinstatement to transfer back to the Full Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician category and to provide pharmacy services
• May order Letter of Standing and replacement of Registration Certificate.

It is up to a registrant whether or not they choose to renew and maintain their registration in the same registration class or transfer to Former  while on any type of leave of absence.  For complete details on the registration renewal requirements, refer to the College website.  If a registrant chooses not to renew their registration and decides to transfer to the “Former” category upon their next renewal, they can do so by logging into their eServices account to submit a transfer request online.  Click on Renew Registration > Former > Proceed to Renewal.

Registrants who are unemployed or on leave are not required to transfer to the non-practising registration class, which  is generally intended for those who do not provide pharmacy services (direct-patient care) but chooses to maintain  registration for keeping the “pharmacist (non-practising)” title for work purposes or meeting the pharmacy ownership director requirements.  Registrants who decide to change to non-practising are expected to understand their responsibilities should they wish to reinstate their registration to Full Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technicians in the future.

Registrants who transfer to the “Former” or “Non-Practicing” categories will have to apply for reinstatement and complete all reinstatement requirements before they can be transferred back to the Full Pharmacist or Pharmacy Technician registration class.  At least 45 days is required to process the Reinstatement application due to the Criminal Record Check (CRC) and up to 5 business days to process the Full registration application.  Refer to the College website for details on the Reinstatement process in the “Less than 6 years in Non-Practicing or Former” category and “6 years or more in Non-Practicing or Former” category.

• For Pharmacists
• For Pharmacy Technicians

No, the completion date of the learning activities must occur within the 12 months prior to your individual renewal date, even though the accreditation is still valid (not expired) beyond that date.

To fulfill your CE requirements for renewal, you must:

• successfully complete at least 15 hours of learning activities documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records of which a minimum 5 hours must be accredited learning, (supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
   
• complete all learning activities in the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date

No. CE is only required for registrants that are renewing registration as a full registrant.

Yes, all learning can be accredited as there are no minimum requirements for non-accredited learning.

To fulfill your Continuing Education (CE) requirements for registration renewal, you must:

• successfully complete at least 15 hours of learning activities documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records of which a minimum 5 hours must be accredited learning, (supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
   
• complete all learning activities in the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date

The current PDAP cycle year is displayed on the PDAP Portal based on when your cycle started.

For example, if your registration renewal date is August 31, 2020, you must submit through the PDAP Portal, Continuing Education (CE) activities undertaken during September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020. Your current PDAP Cycle would be 2019.

For accredited learning:

Uploading supporting documentation including certificates, letters of completion, or school transcripts is required to provide confirmation of successful completion of accredited learning activity.

Supporting documentation with your name, the accrediting body, the number of accredited hours assigned, the date of completion, date accreditation is valid until, is issued by the course provider. If unsure, confirm with the course provider. Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.

For non-accredited learning:

Uploading supporting documentation is not required for non-accredited learning. You may choose to upload a photocopy of the cover of your reading material, flyer advertising an event you attended, an email verifying a meeting or conversation for your own record-keeping purposes.

Please contact the PDAP Department: (604) 733-2440, or email us at: [email protected] for assistance.

You can “Submit” your Learning Records one by one, as you complete them, or you may choose to “Submit” them all at once.

Select the Learning Record(s) you wish to “Submit” by clicking on the box(es) on the left hand side and press “Submit”.

Once you are logged in to the PDAP Portal, click on “Complete Learning Records” then under “Select Renewal Year to view” and choose your desired cycle year from the drop down menu. The portal will display the Learning Records for that cycle year.

Prescription authorizations must always be patient-specific, taking into consideration the needs of the individual patient. As such, blanket authorizations applied to more than one patient are not acceptable. The indicated directions on any prescription must always be expressed in a manner that makes the intent of the prescriber clear. Instructions that authorize carries “on holidays” or “when the pharmacy is closed” are ambiguous as they lack the specificity required to determine the number of days the patient is allowed to carry. For instance, if a pharmacy is closed for three days per week, the patient would receive three carries. Conversely, if a pharmacy is closed for one day per week, the patient would only receive one carry. A prescriber must ensure that they are providing directions that clearly indicate how many days the patient is authorized to carry.

This depends on whether the professional liability coverage you have covers activities in BC. If the professional liability insurance coverage obtained in another province covers your activities in BC, then you may use it to meet the CPBC registration requirements. 

If the coverage you have obtained does not cover your activities in BC, then you will be required to purchase new or additional professional liability insurance to meet the CPBC registration requirements. 

Your drug administration certification (DAC) becomes invalid until recertified.  You must not administer any drugs by injection or intranasal route immediately; otherwise, you will be engaging in authorized practice.  You must inform the College immediately to remove your DAC. 

Once you have obtained your first aid and CPR recertification, contact the Registration Department.  You may resume administering drugs by injection or intranasal route once you have successfully recertified your DAC.

The CPP aims to reduce inappropriate prescribing of selected controlled drugs and to prevent forgeries. Prescriptions for the controlled drugs specified in the program must be written on the duplicate prescription pad specially developed for this purpose. 

Verbal and faxed prescriptions for Schedule 1A drugs may not be accepted by a pharmacist in a community pharmacy; however, temporary amendments to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act Bylaws and Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice are currently in place that allow the following: 

Verbal Prescriptions: 

• A registrant may only accept a verbal prescription for a drug listed in the CPP if doing so is permitted under a section 56 exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The pharmacy must receive either the original or a faxed copy of the CPP prescription form from the practitioner as soon as reasonably possible. 

Faxed Prescriptions: 

• A registrant may only accept a CPP prescription received by fax, during a public health emergency declared by the Provincial Health Officer. This includes the overdose crisis. Faxed prescriptions must still be written on a CPP form.   

In both cases, the faxed copy of the CPP prescription received by the pharmacy must be written on a CPP duplicate prescription form, thus upholding the purpose of the CPP. 

CPP duplicate prescription forms must still be used when using Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). As with all prescriptions, prescribers must ensure that all fields on the Controlled Prescription Program forms are completed correctly including those generated from an EMR. If the EMR is not capable of printing onto a CPP form, a copy of the completed CPP prescription form must be faxed as well. 

Yes. Prior to making a diagnosis or prescribing for minor ailments or contraception, pharmacists must complete the College’s regulatory education module and self-declare completion of this training through their eServices account. The module and self-declaration must be completed prior to providing services under PPMAC.  

The College’s PPMAC Regulatory Education Module is the only mandatory training module that must be completed prior to providing PPMAC services. This requirement is found in Professional Practice Policy -70 Making a Diagnosis and Prescribing – Regulatory Education Module.  

Declarations of module completion must be recorded in the registrant’s eServices account. Declarations can be submitted by selecting “My Profile” > “My Declarations” > “PPMAC”. 

Yes. Prior to making a diagnosis and prescribing for minor ailments or contraception in BC, all pharmacists registered in BC who choose to provide services under PPMAC must complete the College’s regulatory education module and self-declare completion of this training through their eServices account.  

The regulatory education module includes content specific to prescribing for minor ailments and contraception in BC. 

The regulatory module does not need to be completed in one sitting. Registrants may revisit the module as many times as required to pick up where they left off, until completed. Self-declaration through eServices must not be submitted until the module has been completed

Yes. A pharmacist can adapt another pharmacist’s prescription if the pharmacist determines that the adaptation meets the criteria in Professional Practice Policy – 58.

According to Standard 14 of the HPA Bylaws Schedule F Part 8 – Making a Diagnosis and Prescribing Standards, Limits and Conditions:

“A pharmacist who prescribes a drug for a patient must document…”

As stated, the documentation requirements only apply when a pharmacist prescribes a drug. However, the Ministry of Health may have its own PharmaCare policies regarding documentation when a patient assessment does not lead to a prescription being issued. Review of the Ministry of Health’s Pharmacare Policy Guide is recommended.

The HPA Bylaws Schedule F Part 8 – Making a Diagnosis and Prescribing Standards, Limits and Conditions do not prevent pharmacists from making a diagnosis or prescribing for minor ailments and contraception in settings outside of licensed pharmacies. However, when prescribing for patients in settings other than licensed pharmacies, pharmacists must continue to act in accordance with those standards and other relevant legislation, bylaws, and policies referred to in the Application section of the standards. Regardless of practice setting, pharmacists must confirm with the patient that the setting is suitably private for the patient.

In its recommendations to the College Board, the Prescribing and Drug Administration Committee (PDAC) of the College identified virtual care as an area that may require further regulation to ensure consistency in patient care. The standards, limits and conditions for virtual PPMAC services may be subject to change in the future.

Having the legislated authority to prescribe for minor ailments does not mean all pharmacists will offer or provide this service. Patients are encouraged to speak to their pharmacist to find out what healthcare services they offer and whether they are right for their needs.

The decision to incorporate prescribing for minor ailments into pharmacist practice, and to what extent, is based on the pharmacist’s clinical knowledge, skills, and judgment as well as the suitability of the practice environment, current circumstances, capacity, and comfort level. The decision to prescribe is at the discretion of the individual pharmacist, subject to the Code of Ethics.

Portions of the Code of Ethics that are especially relevant include:

• Section 1(b): “Registrants practice only within the scope of their education, training and competence”; and
• Section 1(g)(ii): “Registrants must provide pharmacy services requested by patients and may only refuse to provide these services for the following reasons: … the registrant does not possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to provide the service or product …”.

A pharmacist must complete the regulatory education requirement and self-declare completion in eServices prior to making a diagnosis or prescribing for a patient. A pharmacist who does not meet those requirements is not authorized to provide PPMAC services as they would not be practicing within the scope of their education, training and competence.

Additionally, a pharmacist who meets those requirements and decides to prescribe for minor ailments and contraception is not obligated to prescribe in every case. As with other health professionals, pharmacists will use their professional judgement to determine if they have the competency and confidence to prescribe in the best interest of the patient in each case.

According to Standard 16 of the HPA Bylaws Schedule F Part 8 – Making a Diagnosis and Prescribing Standards, Limits and Conditions:

“Only a full pharmacist may perform the restricted activities of making a diagnosis or prescribing a Schedule I drug and may only do so for the purposes set out in the Pharmacists Regulation”.

A pharmacy student who is a registrant of the College of Pharmacists of BC may provide pharmacy services under the supervision of a full pharmacist. As such, a pharmacy student registrant may participate in aspects of PPMAC; however, this must always be done under the supervision of a full pharmacist who has completed the required training and has self-declared the completion of their training through eServices. The supervising full pharmacist always has sole responsibility for the diagnosis and prescribing decisions.

Although pharmacy student registrants are not required to complete the regulatory education module prior to participating in aspects of PPMAC services, the module is available to pharmacy students, and they are encouraged to review the module to ensure a thorough understanding of the legislative framework that governs PPMAC in BC.

Under section 4(1)(a.1) of the Pharmacists Regulation, pharmacists can:

“make a diagnosis identifying, as the cause of the signs or symptoms of an individual, a disease, disorder or condition that is shown in Column 1 of Schedule A, if all of the following conditions are met:

(i) the disease, disorder or condition, in the form indicated by the individual's signs and symptoms,

(A) presents a low risk of masking an underlying disease, disorder or condition, and

(B) can be readily diagnosed without the need for laboratory or imaging tests;

(ii) the individual's signs or symptoms can be reasonably expected to resolve with only short-term or episodic treatment”.

Pharmacists are responsible for determining if the condition being treated meets the criteria above, based on their professional judgement. Pharmacists may only prescribe for the diseases, disorders or conditions listed in Schedule A of the Pharmacists Regulation, if the criteria above are met.

The College does not require pharmacists to obtain additional liability insurance if they choose to diagnose or prescribe for minor ailments or contraception.  Questions regarding liability coverage for the provision of PPMAC services should be directed to your insurance provider.<

According to Standard 10 of the HPA Bylaws Schedule F Part 8 – Making a Diagnosis and Prescribing Standards, Limits and Conditions: 

“A pharmacist must review or conduct a patient assessment to support their diagnosis and/or prescribing decisions. The assessment must include the following as feasible and applicable, but is not limited to these factors…” 

A pharmacist can review a patient assessment conducted by another health professional and use that assessment to support the pharmacist’s own diagnosis and prescribing decisions. A pharmacist is expected to use their professional judgment to determine if using another health professional’s assessment, would be appropriate and to ensure they have all the necessary information to make a diagnosis or prescribing decision that is safe and in the best interest of the patient. 

In this situation, the pharmacist who diagnoses and prescribes for the patient is still required to follow the Standards, Limits and Conditions, including obtaining the patient’s or patient representative’s informed consent, having appropriate understanding of the patient need, providing the patient with drug information including patient-specific information, and establishing and documenting a follow-up and monitoring plan.  

A pharmacist who makes a diagnosis or prescribes a drug is solely responsible for their treatment decision.  

The College of Pharmacists of British Columbia is transitioning to a single renewal date to enhance operational efficiency and to support the College's administrative processes. This change supports the College in its mandate of protecting public health.

During the transition year, your registration status will remain as active, identical to any standard renewal process. So long as the pro-rated fees are paid, your CE requirements have been met, and there are no disciplinary actions affecting your status, there will be no difference from any other renewal year.

Currently, there are no changes to the CE requirements for 2024. Submission of CE continues to be mandatory for all pharmacy professionals to renew their registration on or before February 28, 2025.

At this time, there are no changes to CE requirements after the transition to a single renewal date. Registrants will be required to submit their CE once the single renewal date is implemented.

Only fax transmission of prescriptions directly from the practitioner is allowed. Otherwise, the pharmacy must have an original prescription or have received a verbal prescription from a practitioner before dispensing prescription medications. 

Useful links: 

• Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice

Pharmacy professionals must release personal health information if requested to do so by a person who is legally authorized, in writing, such as an executor of the estate. 

Useful links: 

• Wills and estates (BC government website)

No, practitioners must use the Controlled Prescription Program form they were issued. If a practitioner has not defined a place of practice, the form will be missing the practice address, but the name and the registration number will be printed on the form.

The Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice state that a registrant must not dispense prescriptions more than two years from the prescribing date, but it does not limit the duration of therapy that may be dispensed. However, pharmacists must use their professional judgement to assess the appropriateness prior to dispensing any prescription.

Useful links:

• Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice

Pharmacists may reduce the dispensing quantity in some cases, but they are expected to dispense the prescription as written by the practitioner. Otherwise, pharmacists must consult with the prescriber before adjusting quantities to be dispensed.

Useful links:

• Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice

Depending on the reason, pharmacists can refuse to sell Tylenol #1. Health Canada forbids the sale of low-dose codeine products if the pharmacist has reasonable grounds to believe that it is not being used for recognized medical or dental purposes. The pharmacist has an obligation to resolve any drug therapy problems when selling any Schedule II medications.

Useful links:

• Narcotic Control Regulations, section 36
• Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice, section 13

Neither the Pharmacists Regulation nor the College’s standards, limits and conditions for prescribing differentiate compounds versus non-compounds when it comes to prescribing. The compounded medication must be in the drug category specified in the regulations.

A pharmacist must use their professional judgement to determine if they have ‘sufficient information’ specific to the client each time they consider adapting a prescription.

In doing this, a pharmacist must ensure they review all relevant information that is available to them. This would include, but is not limited to, a review of the client’s  local and PharmaNet record, any client specific information conveyed by the prescriber and any information obtained directly from the client or their representative.

Documentation and notification of adaptations must meet the requirements listed in part 3(f) and (g) of PPP-58. A pharmacist can choose to use their own templates but must ensure that all the required information is documented and retained as part of the client’s record.

Documentation establishes accountability and responsibility for performing prescription adaptations. It is an important component in demonstrating how the pharmacist exercised their professional judgement through documentation of their rationale and case-specific details that support the pharmacist’s decision to adapt.

Some tips for documentation include:

• Complete your documentation as soon as possible (preferably immediately) after the activity
• Ensure all required information is documented as per part 3(f) of PPP-58
• Include all relevant information deemed necessary to support the decision to perform an adaptation
• Ensure all documentation is legible and non-erasable
• Do not delete, remove or rewrite any part of the adaptation record. If you make an error, cross out the error with a single line and initial it

• Contacting the Original Prescriber for Changes:
  If a pharmacist identifies a drug-therapy problem and contacts the original prescriber to discuss changes, any adjustments authorized by the prescriber are not considered adaptations. This is because the pharmacist is seeking prescriber authorization prior to dispensing rather than making an independent adaptation decision.
   
• Following Hospital-Approved Protocols:
  In environments where a hospital governing body  has approved a therapeutic interchange program or a protocol intended to optimize therapeutic outcomes, any prescription changes made in accordance with this program or protocol do not count as adapting.
   
• Providing Emergency Supplies:
  If the situation/issue presented does not meet the requirements for an adaptation under PPP-58, the pharmacist may consider providing emergency supplies to the client to ensure continuity of care under PPP-31.
   
• Dispensing Interchangeable Drugs:
  Dispensing an “interchangeable drug” as defined in the Health Professions Act is not adaptation. Any changing of formulation in the dispensing of interchangeable drugs (i.e., generic products) is being done for a different purpose than formulation changes permitted in adapting.

Yes. There is no limit on the number of times a prescription may be adapted in accordance with PPP-58, as long as the prescription, at the time of each adaptation, is current, authentic, and valid.

Every adaptation is a new adaptation of the prescription. This means that when adapting a previously adapted prescription, the pharmacist must locate and refer to the prescription issued by the practitioner within their pharmacy management software system.

No. A prescription with no refills remaining, cannot be transferred to another pharmacy. See Health Professions Act Bylaws Community Pharmacy Standards of Practice.

Yes. A pharmacist can make more than one modification in a single adaptation, if based on their judgement, it is deemed clinically appropriate to do so. 

Yes. As long as the quantity dispensed does not exceed the stated amount authorized in the prescription, the pharmacist may utilize PPP-58 if the adaptation benefits the client (Policy Statement 13.b.ii). When the pharmacist adapts to 5mg twice daily, the pharmacist may dispense up to 60 capsules of the 5mg dose. 

Pharmacists must apply to receive a unique Medical Services Plan (MSP) practitioner number. The practitioner number authorizes pharmacists to order selected laboratory medicine tests for eligible MSP beneficiaries and allows laboratories performing these services to submit claims to MSP for remittance. Training information, procedures and other information relevant to pharmacist ordering of laboratory tests will be provided by the Ministry of Health as they become available.

Please visit the Government of BC’s website for more information.

Laboratory tests listed in the Pharmacists Laboratory Services Referral Schedule established by the Minister of Health are considered health benefits for MSP beneficiaries and can be ordered by pharmacists for medication management without incurring an out-of-pocket cost for clients.

Laboratory tests that are not on this schedule may only be ordered if they support services that fit within pharmacists’ current scope of practice, and clients may be subject to an out-of-pocket cost for them.

No. Under the Board-approved SLC’s, only full pharmacists can order, receive and interpret laboratory tests for the purposes of medication management.

Pharmacist must document any decision, action, and/or recommendation related to laboratory testing in the client record.

A pharmacist who orders and receives the results of a laboratory test must document and retain a record of the following in a timely manner based on clinical judgement:

1. Client information, including personal health number (PHN), if available.
2. Acknowledgment of informed consent.
3. The test ordered and the reason for ordering it.
4. The name of the pharmacist ordering the test.
5. The date the test was ordered.
6. The results of the test and the date they were received.
7. The practitioner to whom the results were forwarded (if at all).

A pharmacist who orders a laboratory test must have a system in place that is available 24/7 to ensure appropriate follow-up for the ordered tests. This includes having procedures for receiving and responding to critical test results, with after-hours and emergency contact information to ensure a timely response. This responsibility lies with the ordering pharmacist.

Another pharmacist is not obligated to interpret the results unless they have been identified as part of the system established by the ordering pharmacist for appropriate follow-up. Pharmacists should not refuse to provide service without advising the client to see another healthcare professional. If they lack the necessary knowledge or context, they should refer the client to a healthcare professional who can provide the appropriate interpretation.

The College is implementing the Practice Review Program in order to enhance the quality of pharmacy practice by improving compliance through strengthened enforcement. One of the ways that the College can ensure best practices are being followed is to establish and communicate standards and guidelines to pharmacy professionals and review their individual performance in a pharmacy setting. By reviewing real practice in real time, the College is helping to maintain and elevate public confidence in the profession.

The Practice Review Program will have two components: the Pharmacy Review and the Pharmacy Professionals Review. The Pharmacy Review component will be a familiar process, as it mirrors the College’s current pharmacy inspection process. For the Pharmacy Professionals Review, a College compliance officer will observe and assess individual pharmacy professionals in four key areas of practice. Compliance officers will ensure that pharmacies meet College standards/guidelines and that pharmacy professionals are appropriately applying their knowledge, skills, and abilities to deliver consistent pharmacy care.

With the new program, pharmacy managers and pharmacy professionals will receive advance notice of a Practice Review and will know what will be reviewed. Pharmacy managers and professionals will also receive their results once the review is completed.

The College understands that at certain times of the month or year it may be inconvenient to have compliance officers in pharmacies for an extended period of time. The College will do its best to work with the pharmacy manager to determine the least disruptive times, but it is the pharmacy manager’s responsibility to ensure that most, if not all, staff are present during the Practice Review.

In the event where pharmacy professionals miss the Practice Review, a compliance officer will return to the pharmacy to perform those reviews.

Pharmacy professionals will be reviewed on focus areas that have been deemed the most relevant to professional pharmacy practice in British Columbia. The Board has identified a total of six focus areas they believe to have the greatest impact on public safety. Focus areas differ between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Each will be reviewed on four focus areas depending on their registration type: 

The focus areas for pharmacists are: 

• Patient Identification Verification
• Profile Check
• Counseling
• Documentation

The focus areas for pharmacy technicians are:

• Patient Identification Verification 
• Product Distribution 
• Collaboration 
• Documentation 

After the review has been completed, the compliance officer will forward the Pharmacy Review results to the pharmacy manager, and individual Pharmacy Professional Review results to each pharmacy professional. These results will be available in real time, accessible online through the confidential and secure eServices portal. The compliance officer will discuss results with the pharmacy manager and individual pharmacy professional for their respective reviews.

Where a compliance officer observes a standard/guideline that is not met, they may assign action item(s). These observations and action items are standardized to ensure consistency and fairness of all practice reviews. Pharmacies and pharmacy professionals will be given deadlines (typically 30 days) to complete these items, and compliance officers will verify whether the action items have been completed by the deadline. After all action items have been completed, the compliance officer will sign-off on the review, and a notice of completion will be issued to the appropriate party.

The College recognizes that there are a variety of different practices in BC, and asked for feedback on this subject through online engagement with over 1500 pharmacy professionals. The College will be taking a phased approach in developing the Practice Review Program and, with input from the Practice Review Committee, will develop processes that address different practices within the province.

No. PPP-66 sets the standards for dispensing methadone, SROM and buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid agonist treatment only.  Prescriptions written for pain management must follow other non-OAT standards and policies.

Each dose of methadone for opioid agonist treatment must be measured and dispensed in individually labelled, appropriately sized, child resistant packaging with an explicit warning label indicating that the amount of drug in the container could cause serious harm or toxicity if taken by someone other than the patient. It is not acceptable to dispense multiple carries in one container and have the patient measure individual doses at home.

A Learning Record is an online form that assists you in documenting your learning activities. Registrants must complete and submit a minimum of 15 hours of learning documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records prior to registration renewal each year, if they are renewing registration as a full registrant. A minimum of 5 hours must be accredited learning and supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to. Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.

Your CE Submissions along with all your other registration renewal requirements are due just before midnight on your registration renewal date. You renew registration for the following year by submitting your CE learning activities undertaken within the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date.

For example, if your registration renewal date is August 31, 2020, to be able to renew registration for period September 1, 2020-August 31, 2021, you must submit through the PDAP Portal, CE activities undertaken during September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020, along with all other registration renewal requirements, at the latest by 11:59pm on August 31, 2020.

Accredited learning activities have been reviewed using stringent criteria to ensure they are of high quality, unbiased, and clearly identify learning objectives for participants. Accredited programs indicate the number of accredited hours assigned, and identify the accrediting body (such as CCCEP, UBC CPPD, ACPE, MAINPRO, etc.). Supporting documentation that states the registrant’s name, the accrediting body, the number of accredited hours assigned, the date of completion, date accreditation is valid until, etc. is received upon successful completion.

Non-accredited hours are accumulated through informal learning. If you are doing self-study or on the job training, this will be classified as non-accredited hours. For example, if you identify a learning need in the area of compounding, and you choose to read a publication on compounding and incorporate this learning into your practice, you can document the actual time spent on the learning activity using increments of 0.25 hours (15 minutes). 

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are assigned by the accrediting body to a specific learning activity. The “conversion” of CEUs into accredited hours varies between different accrediting bodies; the requirement is for accredited hours. You should confirm with the course provider the number of hours the activity is accredited for.

The following will be displayed on your device screen once the continuing education (CE) requirements have been satisfied.

Yes. Please talk to your pharmacist. Too few patients take advantage of the pharmacist's knowledge and ask questions about non-prescription drugs and alternative therapies.

There is a lot more to preparing your prescription than counting pills, typing a label and sticking it on a container. Your pharmacist checks the medication, dose and instructions to make sure they are right for you. They review your medical information and PharmaNet profile to check for possible problems. This may include allergies or interactions with other medications you are taking. Your pharmacist enters the details of your current prescription onto your PharmaNet profile. The prescription is then filled and undergoes a final check before being dispensed. Counselling must also be provided to give you information such as how and when to take your medication, what potential side effects you may need to watch for and how to store your medication.

Your pharmacist’s main responsibility is to find, fix and prevent drug related problems. Many medications can be used for more than one medical condition. In order to ensure that your medications are appropriate for you and that you will get the most benefit from them, your pharmacist has to understand why you are taking the medications. Sometimes they need to contact your doctor to confirm the reason the medication has been prescribed, or they may have some suggestions on a different medication or a different dosage that might work better for you. They may also want to talk the doctor about the other medications you are on, especially if there is a possibility of an interaction between two or more of your medications.