RHPA, PA & OCP

• Ontario Provincial Legislation


  • The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA)
  • The Pharmacy Act (PA)
  • The Drug and Pharmacies Regulations Act (DPRA)
  • The Drug Interchangeability and Dispensing Fee Act (DIDFA)
  • The Ontario Drug Benefit Act (ODBA)
  • The Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA)
  • The Transparent Drug System for Patients Act (TDSPA)
  • The Narcotic Safety and Awareness Act (NSAA)
  • The Health Systems Improvement Act (HSIA)
• The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA)


  • Regulates and monitors practices of 28 health professionals in Ontario
  • Protects the public to the extent possible from unqualified, incompetent, or unfit health professionals
  • Ensures that each health profession is regulated and coordinated in the public interest
  • Ensures that appropriate standards of practice are developed and maintained by each profession
  • Ensures that the public has a choice in choosing a health care professional
• RHPA Schedule I


  Lists all of the regulated health professions
• RHPA Schedule II


  Contains the Health Professions Procedural Code
• RHPA


  An umbrella for profession-specific legislation, including the Pharmacy Act (PA) and the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act (DPRA)
• RHPA - Health Professions Procedural Code


  Defines the general objectives and responsibilities of the licensing bodies - Colleges
• RHPA - Statutory Committees

  • Executive Committee
  • Registration Committee
  • Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee
  • Discipline Committee
  • Fitness to Practice Committee
  • Quality Assurance Committee
  • Patient Relations Committee
• RHPA - Standing Committees


  • Communications Committee
  • Drug Preparation Premises Committee
  • Professional Practice Committee
  • Finance & Audit Committee
• RHPA - Controlled Acts


  Controlled acts restricted to members authorized by a health profession Act or delegated by such a member
• Controlled Acts


  Tasks that if not done properly can cause harm, so the government created a list to be performed by authorized competent individuals
• RHPA - Professional Misconduct

  • Failing to maintain a standard of practice
  • Abusing a patient, verbally or physically
  • Conflict of interest relating to professional service
  • Failing to keep prescription and other relevant records
  • Charging for service that is false and misleading
• The Pharmacy Act (PA)

  Refines the regulations of the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) as they apply to the duties of a licensed pharmacist (RPh) and a pharmacy technician (RPhT) in Ontario
• Pharmacy Act - Classes of registered members


  • Pharmacists
  • Interns
  • Registered pharmacy students
  • Pharmacy technicians
• Pharmacy Act - Scope of Practice

  • Custody, compounding and dispensing of drugs
  • Provision of health care aids and devices
  • Provision of information and education related to drug and devices use
  • Promotion of health, prevention and treatment of disease through management of medication therapy
• Pharmacy Act - Authorized or Controlled Acts


  Dispense, sell or compound a drug or supervise the part of a pharmacy where drugs are kept
• Controlled Act (Pharmacy)


  A legally registered and licensed pharmacist must supervise a pharmacy all the time and supervise the dispensing and compounding of drugs
• Pharmacy Act - Expanded Scope of Practice


  • Prescribe specified drug products for smoking cessation
  • Renew and adapt prescriptions
  • Perform procedures on tissue below the dermis
  • Administer substances by injection or inhalation
  • Administer influenza vaccine
• Delegation of Controlled Acts

  A legally registered person may delegate certain work to another non registered person, with sufficient training knowledge and skill
• Role of Pharmacy Technicians

  • Accountable for the independent double check and release of all new, repeat and narcotic prescriptions
  • Able to complete transfers and accept verbal prescriptions
• Pharmacy Act - Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP)


  • The licensing body that regulates the profession of Pharmacy in Ontario
  • Responsible for establishing, supporting, and enforcing appropriate Standards of Practice
• Pharmacy Act - Council

  Composed of elected members, appointed public members, and deans of pharmacy faculties
• Pharmacy Act - Accreditation Committee


  Regulates the place of practice (pharmacy)
• Pharmacy Act - Protected Title

  No person other than a member shall use the title "apothecary", "druggist", "pharmacist", "pharmacy technician", or "pharmaceutical chemist"
• Pharmacy Act - Advertising Restrictions


  Advertising must not be false, misleading, deceptive, or contain certain types of content
• Professional Misconduct (Pharmacy)


  • Failing to maintain a standard of practice
  • Abusing a patient, verbally or physically
  • Practicing while impaired
  • Dispensing or selling drugs for an improper purpose
  • Providing prescribers with gifts
  • Returning drugs to stock that were previously sold and dispensed
  • Offering inducements for prescriptions or services
• Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP)


  • The licensing body that regulates the profession of Pharmacy in Ontario
  • Regulates both the members and the places of practice
• OCP Mission


  To regulate the practice of pharmacy, through the participation of the public and the profession, in accordance with standards that ensure pharmacists provide quality pharmaceutical service and care
• OCP Mandate


  • To serve and protect the public interest
  • If the public interest is at risk, the College must act to protect them
  • The College accepts and investigates all public complaints
• OCP Implementation of Mandate


  Setting standards of practice, ethics, and qualifications for pharmacists
• Returning to stock or again selling or dispensing a drug previously sold or dispensed and delivered

  Returning to stock
• Offering or distributing, directly or indirectly, a gift, rebate, bonus or other inducement with respect to a prescription or prescription services

  Offering inducements
• The Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP)


  The licensing body that regulates the profession of Pharmacy in Ontario
• OCP


  • Regulates both the member via the Pharmacy Act and the place of practice via the Drug and Pharmacy Regulations Act
• Mission of the Ontario College of Pharmacists


  To regulate the practice of pharmacy, through the participation of the public and the profession, in accordance with the standards of practice which ensure that pharmacists provide the public with quality pharmaceutical service and care
• Mandate of OCP


  To serve and protect the public interest
• Implementation of OCP Mandate

  1. Setting entrance to practice requirements

  2. Maintaining standards of practice

  3. Quality assurance in the practice of pharmacy

  4. Enforcing the standards through investigation and discipline proceedings
• OCP Objectives


  • Maintain the standard and quality of practice of the profession
  • Develops Policies and Guidelines
  • Ensure standard of knowledge and skill to promote continuing competence among the members
  • Promotes Continuing Education
  • Uphold the professional ethics of its members
  • Issue a Certificate of Accreditation to operate a retail and hospital pharmacy
  • Maintains Quality Assurance Program (focusing on operational requirement)
  • Conducts inspections/ assessments to pharmacy operations
  • Has the right to immediately suspend a members registration or close a pharmacy to protect the public
  • Develop / Maintain Communication channels: Pharmacy Connection, OCP website
• Who is Governed by the OCP

  • People who engage in the provision of pharmacy services
  • People who engage in dispensing of drugs
  • People who engage in sale of drugs
  • People who operate the pharmacy
• Levels of Registration


  • Pharmacist (protected title)
  • Part A
  • Part B
  • Intern
  • Pharmacy Student
  • Pharmacy Technician (protected title)
• Pharmacy Technician


  • Scope (yes): independent double check (technical aspect of a prescription), release of all new, repeat and narcotic prescriptions, complete transfers, accept verbal prescriptions (except, controlled substances), supervise a remote dispensing location

  Limitations (no): supervise a pharmacy, delegate controlled activities, dialogue with patients when clinical information or knowledge is required, be involved in the sale of Schedule II products, accept verbal prescriptions for controlled substances