Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan for 2021-24

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the important role that pharmacy professionals play in delivering care to Manitobans. With the expansion of pharmacist scope of practice in recent years, it is more important than ever that relationships between pharmacists, patients, and prescribers are founded on principles of integrity, trust, and equity.

The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) Council has identified three pillars which encompass CPhM’s strategic priorities to promote integrity, trust, and equity in pharmacy practice and regulation. They are:

1. Support pharmacy professionals in effectively delivering services that meet the social and cultural needs of all patients.  Indigenous Reconciliation will be a primary focus of CPhM’s first efforts to ensure equitable access to pharmacy care and CPhM services. Ultimately, our goal is to promote equitable access to pharmacy care and CPhM services for all equity-seeking groups. As a first step to fostering cultural competence, CPhM staff have already completed Indigenous cultural safety training. CPhM Council will begin Indigenous cultural safety training in early 2022 and a cultural competence program is being developed for pharmacy professionals.
2. Promote quality pharmacy services by ensuring pharmacy professionals are aware of and adhere to professional standards and expectations. Over the last decade, pharmacists have expanded the scope of their work and taken on a larger role as experts in managing drug therapy. As the scope and complexity of pharmacy practice expands, regulations and standards need to keep pace. The regulator’s role is to make sure that pharmacy care meets quality standards in this complex, changing environment. Setting expectations that support safe, ethical care may need a new approach. CPhM will advance this priority by improving its continuing competency program for pharmacy professionals and using best practices to help pinpoint and share professional guidance.
3. Promote safety in pharmacy services and ethical practice.  Pharmacy professionals must provide safe, unbiased, and ethical care that supports the health and well-being of patients. Inducements such as loyalty programs or points and rewards earned on prescription drugs conflict with professional ethics, especially when this places patients in a position of weighing economic benefits against essential healthcare decisions. Several other provincial pharmacy regulators already prohibit inducements on prescription drugs including Alberta (2017), British Columbia (2016), Quebec (2008), Prince Edward Island (2012), Ontario (2004), Newfoundland and Labrador (1998), and New Brunswick (2022). CPhM will advance this priority by raising patient awareness of the risks of inducement programs being applied to prescription drugs and working to eliminate inducements on prescription drugs. A regulation amendment eliminating inducements and rewards on prescription medication could take some time to become a reality. CPhM follows a process for regulatory change that is outlined by Manitoba’s Pharmaceutical Act and Regulation and includes a comprehensive public consultation.

A CPhM Strategic Plan 2021-24 framework is available for download at the following link:

CPhM Strategic Plan Framework

How do I provide feedback on CPhM’s Strategic Priorities?

CPhM welcomes public and pharmacist feedback on our strategic plan. Please use this link to share your views and comments with Council.

CPhM has established a separate link for use in commenting specifically on priority three, eliminating/prohibiting inducements and rewards on prescription medication. A public consultation is the best way to ensure your thoughts and ideas are considered by CPhM Council. All stakeholder feedback on regulation changes is reviewed and considered before Council makes a recommendation to government for regulation change.

Please use this link to add your name and email address to a contact list for a public consultation on strategic priority three.

Please note that registrants and members of CPhM are automatically notified when a consultation opens.

CPhM expects and requires respectful and professional communication. Please review our Respectful Communication Statement for more information about CPhM’s communication expectations.

Prioritization of the above strategies is as approved by CPhM Council.