Pharmacy Manager's Responsibilities

Pharmacy Manager's Responsibilities

Responsibilities of a Pharmacy Manager

A pharmacy manager is responsible for the actual management and operation of the pharmacy.

In addition to supervising staff to ensure that they are compliant with practice standards, Pharmacy managers have a statutory obligation to develop, implement and maintain policies and procedures to comply with the legislative requirements of operating a licenced pharmacy.

They are also responsible for reporting changes to the pharmacy’s operational information, such as hours of operation, pharmacy staff roster and types of pharmacy services provided to the College.

These responsibilities mean that pharmacy managers play an especially important role in ensuring public safety is protected at pharmacies across BC. As a result, there are additional eligibility criteria and training requirements a pharmacist must meet in order to become a pharmacy manager.

Specific Responsibilities

The manager must comply with all applicable duties under the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act and the Health Professions Act, their regulations, and the College bylaws and policies pursuant to these Acts.

Specific responsibilities of a manager are set out in the following sections of the PODSA Bylaws:

• PODSA Bylaws section 18: All Managers
• PODSA Bylaws Section 24: Community Pharmacy’s Manager – Quality Management
• PODSA Bylaws Section 29: Hospital Pharmacy’s Manager – Quality Management

It is the manager’s responsibility to read, understand, and be familiar with federal and provincial legislation governing pharmacy practice before beginning their role.

How to Become a Pharmacy Manager

1. Be registered as a full pharmacist with the College of Pharmacists of BC

   The Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act defines a “manager” as “a pharmacist who is designated in a pharmacy licence as manager of a pharmacy.”

   Pharmacy managers must be registered as Full Pharmacists with the College. 

   If a pharmacy manager fails to renew his/her registration as a Full Pharmacist before the registration expiry date, the pharmacy licence of the pharmacy at which he/she is appointed manager will be cancelled. When this happens, the pharmacy must close and remain closed until the College confirms reinstatement of the pharmacy manager’s registration and the pharmacy licence, or until another full pharmacist has met the eligibility criteria and been appointed manager.

2. Meet the Eligibility Criteria in the Act

   As part of the pharmacy licensure requirements, a manager must meet the eligibility criteria set out in section 3 of PODSA.

   A pharmacy manager must also complete a Proof of Eligibility, which consists of:

   • An annual attestation for each pharmacy; and
   • A Criminal Record History (to be completed once every 5 years)

   Pharmacy licence applications where the pharmacy manager does not meet all of the eligibility criteria will be referred to the Application Committee for review. Please refer to the Application Committee section in the Pharmacy Licensure Guide for details. 

3. Complete Pharmacy Manager Education (Community Pharmacies Only)

   Managers of community pharmacies must complete the Board-approved pharmacy manager training program as per Professional Practice Policy 69: Community Pharmacy Manager Education.

   As per PPP-69, The program must be completed in accordance with the following schedule:

   1. for all community pharmacy managers, no later than one year after appointment;
   2. for all community pharmacy managers, every three years after compliance with (a); and,
   3. record self-declaration of training completion in e-Services for both (a) and (b).
       

   The Pharmacy Manager Training Program is open to pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, owners, and anyone else interested, however, only full, limited and non-practicing pharmacists will be able to submit a declaration of completion on eServices. Students, or those who have pre-registered with the College, who wish to complete the program will only be able to submit a declaration of completion on eServices once they have become registered as full pharmacists with the College. Learn more about how to submit your declaration

About the BC Community Pharmacy Manager Training Program

At its June 2018 Board Meeting, the Board approved the implementation of Professional Practice Policy 69: Community Pharmacy Education Training, effective September 1, 2018. The BC Community Pharmacy Manager Training Program, provided by the BC Pharmacy Association, is an online course that includes information relevant to pharmacy management (e.g. employment law, etc.) as well as a knowledge assessment.

The goal of the community pharmacy education program is to improve the overall operation of pharmacies; help pharmacy managers avoid complaints against them; ensure safe pharmacy practices for the public and help pharmacy managers better understand the full extent of their role. 

The program is designed to equip pharmacy managers and pharmacists planning to become managers with the most up-to-date regulatory requirements.

The self-paced program is split into three parts:

• Part 1 Reviews the College’s legislative requirements as it pertains to the pharmacy manager’s role
• Part 2 describes general fiduciary responsibilities and management skills
• Part 3 discussed general workplace rights and B.C. employment standards