Pharmacist scope of practice expansions
Last updated on July 10, 2024In 2022, the Ministry of Health introduced changes to pharmacist scope of practice in collaboration with the College of Pharmacists of BC and other partners. Click below to learn more.
Provincial Prescription Renewal Support Service – A support team that pharmacists contact online for help renewing prescriptions for patients without a primary care provider. Launched January 2023.
Drug administration – Pharmacists can administer a wider range of drugs and claim the new PharmaCare drug administration fee. Launched October 2022.
Minor Ailments and Contraception Service (MACS) – Pharmacists can assess and prescribe for 21 minor ailments and contraception. Launched June 2023.
Adapting prescriptions – Pharmacists can adapt and renew prescriptions for a wider range of medications. Launched October 2022.
Laboratory test referrals. Effective August 30, 2024, pharmacists will be recognized as referring practitioners in the Laboratory Services Regulation, allowing them to order some lab tests for medication management. Implementation will start in hospital inpatient settings.
PharmaCare shares monitoring and evaluation data on the expanded pharmacy services:
- Adaptation and drug administration - Data
- Pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments and contraception (PPMAC or MACS) - Data
Can pharmacists order and interpret lab work? Pharmacists can sign up with CareConnect to access lab results. Learn about pharmacist ordering of lab tests at Laboratory test referrals.
Will the clinical services daily fee cap be changed? The daily PharmaCare limit of $78 per patient per day per pharmacy is unchanged but is under review. An update will be provided if the fee cap is changed.
Will the Ministry consider paying a fee to pharmacies for dispensing emergency supplies? There are no plans to provide a fee to pharmacies for dispensing emergency supplies. The Ministry will continue to monitor this policy.
Can pharmacists independently apply for Special Authority coverage for a patient's medication? Pharmacists can enrol in the provider identity portal (PIdP) and access eForms to request SA coverage when:
- Prescribing for minor ailments
- Prescribing OTC medications such as acetaminophen or NRTs
- Adapting a prescription
- Applying for exceptional Plan Z coverage for Mifegymiso
- Dispensing vancomycin following a hospital stay, or
- Working in a clinical setting, in collaboration with a prescriber, with access to the patient’s full medical record (accessing only PharmaNet and/or CareConnect records is not sufficient)