Updated Virtual Care Position Statement
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) recognizes the necessity and importance for all Manitobans to have equitable access to quality pharmacy services. With this recognition also comes an understanding of the challenges faced by some patients in receiving equitable access to safe and quality pharmacy care. These challenges were demonstrated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and still remain evident for many patients in rural, remote and underserviced areas of the province. CPhM acknowledges the value of delivering quality care by virtual means, understanding that it is an emerging method of delivering care, offering increased access where needed.
CPhM Council also fully recognizes the need to balance the use of virtual care with the mandate of protecting and serving the public interest. This has prompted the recent Council decision to prioritize the development of a virtual care practice direction/standard of practice providing a framework for practice expectations on the use/delivery of safe, equitable virtual pharmacy care/services. The draft practice direction will be developed in accordance with the Policy Statement: Practice Directions. Updates on the draft will be communicated in a timely manner, including announcement of the consultation stage once applicable.
In addition to this, CPhM Council has been informed of uncertainty regarding the expectations of the Virtual Patient Care and Ensuring Patient Safety in Pharmacy Practice Position Statement. The Council-approved Position Statement is intended to align with standards of care expected by registrants of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) and the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM), to reiterate the expected CPSM/CRNM required standard for a blend of in-person and virtual care, and to highlight that pharmacists should not KNOWINGLY enter into arrangements or accept care provided by prescribers outside of the established standards of practice of their respective regulatory body. There was never an expectation for pharmacists to regulate or affirm the practices of another regulated healthcare professional. The Position Statement outlines acceptable parameters held by CPSM and CRNM for their own registrants, and conveys the similar alignment of CPhM with such. The Position Statement has since been updated to provide clarity. The updated Position Statement can be accessed from the Resource Library of the CPhM website.
Recent Reports of Pharmacy Burglaries
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) has been informed of numerous pharmacy break and enters (burglaries) in the Winnipeg area over the last several weeks. These burglaries typically occurred outside of pharmacy operating hours when no pharmacy staff were present by breaking the glass of a window and/or door to gain access to the pharmacy.
CPhM would like to remind all pharmacy managers of the importance and responsibility of protecting the pharmacy premises and drug inventory, including all narcotics, controlled drugs, and targeted substances. Pharmacy managers and staff are encouraged to review their current pharmacy security for areas of improvement and make enhancements where appropriate, such as adding security film or bars to the glass of windows and/or doors. This should include a review of the monitored alarm system and video surveillance. It is recommended alarm systems have redundancies in case of power failure or the tampering of phone and power lines. Video surveillance data should be stored in a location that is not easily identifiable. Please ensure that narcotics are stored securely in a locked safe, and consideration should be made to carry a minimum level of narcotics as appropriate. Whenever possible, the security of any connected adjacent units should be discussed with the unit owner or landlord, especially if the units are vacant.
Pharmacists are also reminded to report the loss or theft of narcotic, controlled drugs and/or targeted substances within ten days of discovering, through Health Canada’s Loss or Theft Report Form for Controlled Substances and Precursors. This completed report must be submitted to Health Canada – Office of Controlled Substances and CPhM.
Aside from contacting the police, pharmacy managers are also reminded to contact CPhM immediately with details of a reported pharmacy burglary. Contact with CPhM can be via phone at 204-233-1411, fax at 204-237-3468, or email at info@cphm.ca. Please refer to the document on the CPhM website titled, Procedures in the Event of a Robbery or Burglary for more information.
Call for Committee Members – Pharmacy Technician Regulatory Issues Ad-Hoc Committee
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) is seeking pharmacy technicians and pharmacists to serve on the Pharmacy Technician Regulatory Issues Ad-Hoc Committee. Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, students, and pharmacy interns are welcome to join.
As a committee member, you would help identify the enablers and barriers to pharmacy technician regulation and practice in Manitoba and make recommendations to Council. Maintaining patient safety and improving patient outcomes will be key considerations for the Committee. More information about the Committee can be found in the Pharmacy Technician Regulatory Issues Ad-Hoc Committee Terms of Reference.
To express your interest, please review the information on Committee Service and submit a Committee Expression of Interest Form by Monday, January 16, 2023, to info@cphm.ca.
General Call for Expressions of Interest for Committee Service
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) has both statutory and standing committees. The role of statutory committees is to carry out legislated duties; the role of standing committees is to support the work of the Council. All committee work contributes to the CPhM mandate to regulate the practice of pharmacy in the public interest.
The composition of each committee varies and consists of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians registered/listed with CPhM, members of the public, and Council members.
Those interested in becoming a committee member with CPhM are encouraged to view the information on the website and submit a Committee Expression of Interest form.
CPhM considers a number of factors when reviewing expressions of interest for committee service, including expertise, experience, practice setting, demographic representation, and other unique skills or attributes. Appointments to committees are made in the best interest of the committee as a whole to ensure the committee is properly constituted and able to function effectively and achieve its duties and responsibilities.
Efforts are made to match volunteers with their expressed interests; appointments are contingent on the vacancies at any given time.
Call for 2022 CPhM Award Nominations
The College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) is now accepting nominations for the 2022 CPhM Awards. If you or a pharmacist you know has made a noteworthy contribution to patient care and safety or the practice of pharmacy, please consider submitting a nomination or application for one of the awards listed in the CPhM Awards Brochure.
CPhM has created award submission guidelines for your consideration prior to forwarding your nomination to the Awards & Nominating Committee.
Young Leader Awards
The Young Leader Awards celebrate the efforts of up to ten leaders in pharmacy practice. The recipients will receive a plaque to commemorate their contributions to the pharmacy profession and a $500 cash prize.
The awards are open to recently licensed pharmacists (practicing one to five years post-graduation) and to pharmacy students (interns) in their final year of study who have made a professional contribution to patient care, the pharmacy profession or amongst their colleagues and peers at the University of Manitoba’s College of Pharmacy.
If you or someone you know meet these criteria, please submit a nomination or application package including the nominee or applicant’s Curriculum Vitae and a summary of their activities and contributions within pharmacy practice or within the University of Manitoba’s College of Pharmacy.
The deadline for nominations or applications is Friday, January 13, 2023. Please send submissions by email to info@cphm.ca with the subject line “Attention: The Awards & Nominating Committee – CPhM Awards.”