- Public Awareness Initiative: Strengthening Pharmacy Security with Time-Delayed Safes
- Enhancing Security on the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba’s Public Directory
- Celebrating Pride Month: The Role of Pharmacy Professionals in Supporting 2SLGBTQ+ Communities
- New Prescription Transmission and M3P Changes Effective June 1, 2024
- Professional Development Opportunities & Upcoming Events
Public Awareness Initiative: Strengthening Pharmacy Security with Time-Delayed Safes
Recent amendments to the Pharmacy Facilities Practice Direction, effective January 31, 2024, require all community pharmacies to store narcotic and controlled drugs in secure time-delayed safes and to post mandatory CPhM-approved signage. This measure aims to deter pharmacy robberies, as law enforcement has emphasized that the effectiveness of time-delayed safes depends on public awareness and province-wide compliance.
To boost public awareness, CPhM will launch a three-week public awareness and media campaign on June 12, 2024. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory for all community pharmacies. This includes not only the installation and proper use of time-delayed safes but also the display of appropriate signage at each public entrance and the dispensary.
To ensure your pharmacy uses its time-delayed safe effectively, please follow these guidelines:
Do
- Ensure signage is visible and in colour.
- Secure the time-delayed safe by bolting it into the ground.
- Store all narcotic and controlled drugs in the time-delayed safe.
Don’t
- Do not post non-approved CPhM signage instead of CPhM approved signage.
- Do not keep the safe unlocked when not in use or use other means to circumvent the time delay.
- Do not share the time-delayed safe passcode with unauthorized personnel.
Meeting these requirements enhances safety for all pharmacies and staff across the province.
For more information about time-delayed safes please review the Pharmacy Facilities Practice Direction and review the following webpage for pharmacy professionals.
Enhancing Security on the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba’s Public Directory
At the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM), the security of registrants’ information is a top priority. Although the data in public directories is accessible to the public, CPhM is committed to safeguarding this information from misuse. This commitment, in partnership with the data management software (DMS) service provider, is part of ongoing efforts to ensure the highest level of data security.
Implementation of CAPTCHA Protection
In response to the increasing threat of data scraping, the DMS service provider is implementing CAPTCHA protection on all public directories. This security feature will help ensure that only legitimate users can access the public directories, significantly reducing the risk of automated bots scraping data. This new measure is expected to be in effect soon.
How CAPTCHA Works
Initially, CAPTCHA will be required for every search conducted on the public directories. This immediate measure is crucial to prevent ongoing scraping attempts and to protect registrants’ public information from inappropriate use. Here is a preview of what the CAPTCHA will look like:
Understanding the Risks
While public directories are essential for transparency and accessibility, they also present potential risks. These directories can be targeted by bots attempting to scrape data for malicious purposes. Such activities pose a threat of misuse of information and can cause system slowdowns, affecting the performance and user experience of a public directory search.
At CPhM, we are dedicated to protecting your information. The introduction of CAPTCHA protection is a testament to our ongoing commitment to data security and that of the service vendors we work with. We will continue to monitor and improve our systems to ensure that your information remains protected against malicious use.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement these crucial security measures. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Celebrating Pride Month: The Role of Pharmacy Professionals in Supporting sSLGBTQ+ Communities
As we celebrate Pride Month, it is a time to reflect on the vital role that pharmacy professionals play in supporting and advocating for the health and well-being of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Pride Month is not only a celebration of diversity and inclusion but also a reminder of the ongoing efforts needed to ensure equitable healthcare for all.
The Importance of Inclusive Care
Pharmacy professionals are often the first point of contact for individuals seeking healthcare advice and services, placing you in a unique position to provide inclusive and supportive care to 2SLGBTQ+ individuals who may face specific health challenges and disparities. By fostering an environment of acceptance and understanding, we can help address these disparities and ensure that all individuals receive the care and respect they deserve.
Actions Pharmacy Professionals Can Take During Pride Month
- Educate Yourself and Your Team:
To further enhance your knowledge and skills in providing inclusive care, we encourage you to take advantage of the following accredited learning activities:
-
- Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Safety Module: Offered by USask Continuing Pharmacy Education, this module is accredited for 4 CEUs. It provides valuable insights into creating a culturally safe and inclusive environment in your pharmacy.
- Providing LGBTQ+ Inclusive Care at Your Pharmacy: This course, accredited for 3.25 CEUs by the Ontario Pharmacists Association, offers practical strategies for making your pharmacy more welcoming and supportive to LGBTQ+ individuals. Although the accreditation is expiring soon, it is worthwhile to check if it will be renewed for continued relevance.
There are also many other valuable resources that pharmacy professionals are encouraged to review such as:
-
- CPhA’s Resource Round-up: 2SLGBTQI+ patient health
- Pharmacy Perspective: Providing Safe Spaces Podcast – Affirming Ways People Self-Identify, offered by USask Continuing Pharmacy Education and the Alberta College of Pharmacy
- USask EDI Continuing Education Resources – 2SLGBTQIA+
- Create a Welcoming Environment:
-
- Display 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive signs and symbols in your pharmacy to signal that it is a safe space.
- Ensure that all staff use inclusive language and respect patients’ preferred names and pronouns. Please refer to the CPhM and Rainbow Resource Centre Patient Profiles Terminology document for more information on appropriate terminology and the CPhM resource document on providing care to transgender and gender diverse persons.
Pride Month is a time to celebrate the progress toward equality and acknowledge the work still needed to achieve full inclusion. As pharmacy professionals, you have a significant role in promoting and delivering inclusive care. By educating ourselves, creating welcoming environments, advocating for health equity, committing to providing compassionate, inclusive care to all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and engaging with the community, we can build a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.
New Prescription Transmission and M3P Changes Effective June 1, 2024
This notice was sent out to all pharmacy professionals via email and to all pharmacy managers via fax on Friday, May 31, 2024.
Please note that the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM) is currently in the process of operationalizing and communicating these changes to their registrants. The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM), in collaboration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) and other regulatory bodies, has finalized changes to the Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions Practice Direction (PD) and the Manitoba Prescribing Practices Program (M3P). These changes, effective June 1, 2024, reflect feedback from a recent 30-day consultation. CPhM would like to thank all those who participated.
The following updates aim to streamline and enhance prescription processes with minimal disruption to your daily practice. Key changes, effective June 1, 2024, are:
The personalized M3P prescription forms will be phased out.
- All prescribers are strongly encouraged, though not required, by their regulatory colleges to use the new M3P prescription templates available on their respective college’s registrant portals.
- If the templates are not used, prescribers must ensure all the required information is present on the M3P prescription.
- Prescribers may continue to use the M3P personalized forms they have until depleted.
- For more information, please refer to the M3P FAQ and the guidance document titled “M3P Prescription Guidance: Requirements & Recommended Templates” in your CPhM Registrant Portal. To access the guidance document:
- Go to “My Groups”
- Select “Active Registrants”
- Select “Practice Guidance” folder, and,
- Click on “M3P Prescription Guidance: Requirements & Recommended Templates.”
The revised Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions Practice Direction is now in effect.
- This revised PD replaces the older joint statements on facsimile and electronic transmission of prescriptions.
- Faxing of M3P prescriptions and E-prescribing for all prescriptions are now permanently allowed.
- Please see the revised Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions Practice Direction, and the associated FAQ for more information.
The Health Canada Subsection 56(1) Exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) to allow the transfer of CDSA prescriptions is now implemented.
- Pharmacists can:
- Transfer a prescription for a narcotic or controlled drug to another pharmacist within Canada or receive such a transfer, even if it has already been transferred.
- Transfer a prescription for a benzodiazepine or targeted substance more than once or receive such a transfer.
- Although not required, CPhM and CPSM recommend that pharmacists notify the prescriber if a prescription they wrote for a CDSA drug is transferred outside of Manitoba, based on the pharmacist’s professional judgement to ensure continuity of patient care.
- Please see the Prescription Transfers for Controlled Substances under Health Canada Subsection 56(1) FAQ for more information.
Please be advised that all prescriptions written on or after June 1, 2024, must meet the requirements outlined in these documents, if applicable.
CPSM and CPhM Councils are still considering whether to include codeine products under the list of M3P drugs, and further updates will be provided once available.
If you have any questions about these changes, please contact CPhM at info@cphm.ca. Thank you for your continued dedication to the provision of excellent pharmacy care.
Professional Development Opportunities & Upcoming Events
College of Pharmacy’s Essentials in Advanced Patient Care for Pharmacists Micro-Certificate Program
Interested pharmacists can visit the program website for detailed information and to begin the application process. For further inquiries, please email PharmacyPD@umanitoba.ca.
Targeting Social Isolation Together E-Modules
To register for the self-paced e-modules and for further information click here.
This learning activity provides information on the health impacts of social isolation and loneliness.
The e-module and Quiz take about 45-60 minutes to complete, and participants obtain a statement of completion.
- 2.0 accredited CEU
Medical Examiner PD Webinar – Engaging Patients with Care: Tapering, Brief Interventions, and Substance Use Insights
- Click here to view the live event recording
- 1.5 accredited CEU
- Click here to complete the Learning Activity Evaluation Form
Lessons from Complaints: A Series on Injection-Related Best Practices Part 1: Best Practices Review for Pharmacists & Part 2: Trends in Injection-Related Complaints
- Click here to view the recordings.
- Each is 0.75 accredited CEU
- Click here to complete the Learning Activity Evaluation Form
Managing Drug Shortages in Pediatric Patients