Pharmacy act implementation up in the air
- Details
- Published on Thursday, January 2, 2014
By: Ken Waddell
myWestman.ca
The new provincial pharmacy act may have come into effect on Jan. 1 but don’t hold your breath to get new services from Manitoba pharmacies anytime soon.
The new act will allow pharmacists to administer vaccines if they are set up as an immunization centre or a continuing care centre. Under the new regulations, vaccination needles could be given by a local pharmacist, prescriptions extended and other services administered.
According to local pharmacists, it’s not that simple. They say they will have to have special training and that they will also have to apply to be recognized as a centre. They have no way yet of having access to any patient immunization records, which is essential before administering a vaccine. Pharmacists won’t be able to administer antibiotics. They also have been given no timeline in regards to training and accreditation.
Patient fees likely to be charged
Perhaps, most important of all, they have had no instruction from the government as to how they will be paid. It’s assumed that patients will be charged a fee, but there may be services covered under Manitoba Health. Until that is clarified, patients will be charged a fee by the pharmacist, but one local pharmacist said Manitoba Health may start paying pharmacists, as the pharmacist fee might be cheaper than a doctor’s fee.
Susan Lessard-Friesen is Deputy Registrar of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association which will now become the Manitoba College of Pharmacists. Lessard-Fresen says, “There are many steps in the process for a pharmacist to gain credentials.”
She stated a workshop had been held and that it will be some time before pharmacists can actually begin to administer services. Pharmacists will have to receive extra training including how to administer CPR.
“It will be another few weeks yet before pharmacies can get set up. We are in discussion with Manitoba Health,” continued Lessard-Friesen.
Pharmacies are expecting to be somewhat swamped with requests early in January but one local pharmacist said, “They really haven’t told us much yet. We have no idea as to when we can start or what is needed to get started.”
Benefits to patients
Overall, Sharon Vercaigne of the Gladstone Pharmacy said that the changes to the act are a “great thing for pharmacists to be able to provide a new role and expand their practice of service”. Adding that it will be handy in communities where there is a lack of physicians and in cases when a physician has left, pharmacists can ‘fill the gap’ while patients wait for a new physician.
Vercaigne said that the pharmacists in Gladstone are interested in upgrading their credentials but they haven’t chosen what expanded services they would like to offer. She hopes the programs will be offered year round so that all those who want to can upgrade their certifications.
