Saskatchewan pharmacists will have greater prescribing authority by this summer, health minister Don McMorris said last week.
Regulatory amendments to the Pharmacy Act bylaws will allow pharmacists to extend refills during a doctor’s absence and provide emergency supplies of prescribed medication.
About 1,300 pharmacists practise in Saskatchewan.
The minister said the changes put patients first and give them greater, timely access to health care services.
This is the first step toward a system in which pharmacists with additional training will be able to change dosages or formulas, or prescribe medications for minor ailments.
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Dr. George Miller, president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association, said collaborative practice is essential for a patient-centred health
system.
Other organizations also praised the decision to enhance pharmacists’ roles.
Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists registrar Ray Joubert said several years of work and co-operation with doctors and nurses resulted in the bylaw amendments.
“It reflects our belief in collaboration and promoting an optimal role for the pharmacist as a member of the health care team in the public interest,” he said.
Harold Just, chair of the Pharmacists’ Association of Saskatchewan, said the changes recognize the relationship between patients and pharmacists.
“Formally recognizing and compensating pharmacists for expanded services will benefit not only patients, but the health system as a whole,” he said.
The changes were announced during Pharmacy Awareness week and are expected to take effect by summer.
