Ministry of Health Pharmacy Council

Last updated on August 5, 2026

This page has information about the Ministry of Health Pharmacy Council, an advisory body of pharmacy professionals who provide feedback on pharmaceutical policy, practice topics, and patient/provider experience to support Ministry decision-making.

Overview

In May 2025, the Ministry of Health established the Pharmacy Council, an advisory body of 34 frontline pharmacy professionals from across B.C., who provide advice and feedback on pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical care programs, client and provider experiences, and emerging issues affecting the profession.

Council members help identify opportunities, challenges, and implementation considerations that can be incorporated into policy analysis, program planning, and the ongoing development of pharmacy services in B.C. The council also provides a mechanism for the Ministry to test ideas and explore potential impacts and the practical realities of implementation before introducing a new program or policy.

2025/26 year in review

In its first year, the Pharmacy Council met four times.

The Council explored:

Ministry programs and priorities, including the work of the Pharmacy Clinical Services & Evaluation (PCSE) team
PharmaCare communications and opportunities to improve information-sharing and engagement with pharmacy professionals
Pharmacist scope of practice initiatives, implementation experiences, patient access, education and support needs, and opportunities for future projects
System and workflow improvements to further support pharmacists in delivering patient care
Medication management initiatives for patients living with chronic conditions
Opportunities to improve transitions and continuity of care across health-care settings
PharmaCare program integrity and audit-related processes

Discussions focused on strategic and operational topics affecting pharmacy practice and patient care in the province. Council members provided valuable frontline perspectives on pharmacy practice, patient care, and service delivery from a variety of practice settings and regions across B.C.

The Ministry thanks Pharmacy Council members for their commitment, engagement, and thoughtful contributions during the council' s first year. Their expertise continues to help inform initiatives that support high-quality pharmaceutical care and enhance patient access to pharmacy services across B.C.

View the Pharmacy Council 2025/26 year in review infographic (PDF, 261KB)

Council mandate

Provide feedback on pharmaceutical care programs, services, and other pharmacy practice-related topics
Liaise between frontline pharmacy staff and the Ministry to ensure input and concerns are accurately represented
Use practice expertise to provide recommendations to the Ministry that support quality of pharmaceutical care and sustainability

Council members

The council is made up of 20 pharmacists who practice in community, 10 hospital or health authority pharmacists, and four pharmacy technicians. 17 council members have 3-10 years of pharmacy experience, 10 members have between 11-20 years’ experience, and seven members have over 20 years of pharmacy experience.

Council members represent five geographic regions in B.C., based on the health authority catchment areas. 11 council members practice in Fraser Health area, seven in Vancouver Coastal, two work in Northern Health, six members practice in Island Health, and eight council members work in Interior Health area. The Ministry looks forward to bringing the council together to discuss practice issues important to front line pharmacists and the Ministry of Health.

Council members – May 2025

Amrita Grewal

Ava Azhir

Cassandra Elstak-Blackwell

Christina Kolios

Colin Fee

David Tom

Doriann Bialas

Emilie Lamoureux

Emin Nadjafov

Gemma Rempel

Gezina Baehr

Graham Foster

Greg Nikkel

Gurpreet Parmar

Jarred Kelly

Jessie Mcintosh

Karan Khanna

Ken Lee

Kevin Lai

Kieran Shah

Laura McDonald

Lisa Ko

Mary McInerney

Nasheena Poonja

Neil de Haan

Patricia Hanna

Qian Hui (Jessica) Jiang

Robert Wright

Robyn Seipp

Shelley Sidhu

Steven Hopp

Suki Sandhu

Trevor Leggat

Yonette Harrod

Contact

Questions? Contact the Pharmaceutical Care Initiatives team at pci@gov.bc.ca

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