After the Ontario government’s decision to expand pharmacists’ scope of care in January 2023, 99 per cent of pharmacies began writing prescriptions for common ailments such as pink eye, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and cold sores, resulting in over one million assessments since last year according to a recent government news release.
Today, the government is considering adding 14 more common ailments to the program as well as some vaccines and tests.
The program enables Canadians to seek necessary medical expertise without the often -long wait times that exist to book appointments with family doctors. Initially, the government said pharmacists could begin prescribing for 13 common ailments. Then, the program was expanded with six more in October, 2023. The continued expansion of the program will provide Canadians with “more convenient care closer to home,” according to the Ontario government.
Diana Dimian is a local pharmacist at University Pharmacy, located across from Wilfrid Laurier University on King Street. Dimian said the volume of patients and workload due to the expansion is heavily dependent on the pharmacy. At busier pharmacies, patients may have to make appointments to ensure they are helped. On the other hand, she said many independent pharmacies wish more people would take advantage of the services offered.
“We were expecting more people to come in asking for prescriptions, I feel like there’s poor communication,” said Dimian on how the expansion has gone. “I’m still getting prescriptions from walk-in clinics for stuff that pharmacists can prescribe.”
Dimian is still receiving prescriptions from walk-in clinics for acne, oral thrush, UTIs and more.
Dimian said on average, University Pharmacy writes three or four prescriptions a week and so the additional workload is minimal as the process is simple. She said at other pharmacies, however, the workload is more intense, especially during flu shot season in the fall.
Dimian said her primary concern about the expansion is that many of the patients she treats are not aware of the full scope of pharmacists’ practice, but this gives them a chance to educate patients.
“It builds more trust and helps to make a better relationship between pharmacists and patients,” said Dimian. “It’s giving us opportunities to prove that we are well-educated and qualified.”
Building on the ability to prescribe for common ailments, the provincial government is exploring the possibilities of expanding in other directions. This includes ordering specific lab tests and allowing pharmacy technicians to administer additional vaccines, such as tetanus and diphtheria.
The expansion will also include government-funded vaccines. Initially these vaccines had to be done at the doctor’s office, but now they can be administered through pharmacies as well. Dimian said that this change will save time for all parties involved.
The expansion has allowed for more accessible healthcare as well, as the only requirement to receive a prescription is to bring your Ontario health card. Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) mandated the completion of a training module designed “to ensure pharmacists fully understand their ethical, legal, and professional obligations when prescribing for minor ailments” before pharmacists can write prescriptions.
“Thanks to the Government of Ontario’s investment in the pharmacy sector through programs like the assessment and treatment of minor ailments, communities have trusted their local pharmacy teams to deliver the high-quality care they need and deserve,” said Justin Bates, the CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, reflecting on the expansion. “As Ontarians seek accessible and convenient ways to access care, Ontario’s pharmacy professionals are ready with the knowledge and expertise to safely and effectively do more to meet their healthcare needs in a setting of their choice.”
