As you are reading this, British Columbians are getting ready to go to the polls to elect a new government on Oct. 19, 2024.
For community pharmacists, a great deal has been accomplished in this last term. Of course, it was marked with COVID-19 and all the pressures and opportunities that presented for pharmacists.
As I have said before, pharmacists showed up for their patients each and every day during the pandemic, opening their doors when access to other health-care providers was so limited. This work has helped refine the public and elected officials’ understanding and perspective on the the pharmacy profession.
For those of you who attended the BCPhA Annual Conference in May and heard Health Minister Dix’s remarks, you will know he and his government truly recognize the contribution pharmacists are making.
The results are there for anyone to see: whether it’s COVID or flu vaccinations or diagnosing and prescribing for minor ailment and contraception, access has been significantly improved.
Since the pandemic, community pharmacists in B.C. have administered nearly 11 million COVID and flu vaccines for the public. This is a staggering number that shows the positive impact the profession has had for public health. In addition, since June 2023, more than 1,400 community pharmacies have participated in the delivery of more than 430,000 minor ailments and contraception assessments/ More people are getting the care they need because of community pharmacists.
While election years can be both a time of opportunity and a time in which it seems that so many things are on pause, for pharmacy, we were pleased that the Minister was able to get Cabinet approval to enable community pharmacists to order and interpret lab tests. Meanwhile, the College has passed Standards, Limits and Conditions for lab ordering.
Still, there remain months of work ahead to develop plans on how this will be implemented. Be assured, we will press on the issue of compensation — pharmacists should never work for free. You are all essential health-care professionals who deserve to be reasonably compensated.
No one has a crystal ball in terms of what the election results will be. But what I know is, that regardless of who is elected, community pharmacists need to continue have a key and growing role in addressing access issues in the primary care system.
There is work to do: negotiating a long-overdue increase in the dispensing fee, finalizing all the elements of the long-term care and assisted living compensation package, restructuring the rural incentive program and, of course, continuing to advance scope of practice.
So, the BCPhA Board and staff team will be ready to continue to work with government and the College to enable pharmacists to provide the very best care for their patients.
Geraldine Vance
Chief Executive Officer
BC Pharmacy Association