B.C. pharmacists set to treat minor ailments, prescribe contraception
Pharmacists in British Columbia will have more responsibilities starting June 1 in an effort to improve access for those without a family doctor and ease the stress on an overburdened health system.
The College of Pharmacists of BC says 75 per cent of eligible community pharmacists have completed the training required to be able to diagnose and prescribe medications for 21 minor ailments like acne, shingles or urinary tract infections, as well as prescribe contraception.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said Wednesday that the new services will make it easier and faster for patients to get medication and take the pressure off nurses and doctors who can focus on those with more complex needs.
“Pharmacists have received additional training and are capable of safely and effectively delivering those pharmaceutical services to patients ... who don't have a primary care provider and reduce workload on primary care providers as well,” Dix said.
The government estimates more than 750,000 patients will use the services in the first year.
It comes at a time when the provincial health-care system is facing staffing shortages and resource problems, leading to lengthy waits in emergency rooms.
Some doctors have complained about what they consider a dire situation, particularly in the province's growing Fraser Health region.
It's estimated that close to one million British Columbian residents do not have a family doctor.
Hitesh Patel, a pharmacist and owner of three Shoppers Drug Marts in Vancouver, says people often come to him with minor concerns who either don't have a doctor or are worried about waiting until they can get an appointment to see one.
He says the changes won't fix all of the struggles in health care but will hopefully help ease some of the strain.
“And I think that's what we're really trying to do, is alleviate strain, not only on the health-care system, but also in the minds of the patients in terms of having multiple convenient points to be able to go talk about their health,” he said.
Dix said the province is launching a website on June 29, allowing people to book appointments with pharmacists online, similar to the system used to get vaccines.
These latest powers come after changes last October that allowed pharmacists to administer more vaccines and renew prescriptions for up to a two-year period for people whose family doctors have retired or left their practices.
Chris Chiew, president of the BC Pharmacy Association,told a news conference on the eve of the change that pharmacists have the expertise to prescribe drugs and are looking forward to helping people get care in a timely manner.
“These pharmacies are in communities, large and small, and are open after-hours, on weekends and even on holidays. That's why we often say pharmacists are one of the most accessible health-care providers,” he said.
The association has said the province is one of the last in Canada to give pharmacists the ability to prescribe for minor ailments but one of the first to allow them to prescribe contraception.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
'It’s discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.