We’re Hiring!
Practice Consultant (Hospital Pharmacy)
NLPB is now hiring for the part-time, contractual position of Practice Consultant (Hospital Pharmacy). For full details please visit the NLPB website: https://nlpb.ca/now-hiring-practice-consultant-hospital-pharmacy
Qualified applicants are invited to submit a letter of application and resume to careers@nlpb.ca. The application deadline for this position is Wednesday, February 15, 2023.
While NLPB appreciates all applicants, only those short-listed for an interview will be contacted.
Upcoming Audits
As part of the NLPB Quality Assurance Program, NLPB audits self-declarations made by registrants during their annual registration renewal.
Annual Professional Liability Insurance Audit
This month, NLPB will be conducting an audit of proof of professional liability insurance (PLI) for registered pharmacy professionals.
Registered pharmacy professionals are required to have continuous PLI coverage in a form and amount satisfactory to NLPB, as outlined in the registration and renewal sections of the Pharmacy Act, 2012 and the Pharmacy Regulations, 2014. During registration and renewal, pharmacy professionals certify that they have obtained PLI in accordance with the NLPB Professional Liability Insurance Requirements for Registration, declare that coverage will be maintained throughout the year, and upload an annual certificate of PLI coverage.
Ten percent of registered pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, students, and interns will be chosen at random to be audited. Please note that registrants will only be contacted if further information is necessary or an issue is identified during the audit.
If you have any questions about the PLI audit process, please contact QA@nlpb.ca.
Annual Professional Development Audit
The NLPB Professional Development Requirements for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Interpretation Guide states that pharmacy professionals will be notified if they are selected for audit by the end of January. However, NLPB is currently reassessing audit processes for professional development (PD) due to changes in the way in which learning activities are recorded in the new registrant portal. More details regarding the status of the next PD audit will be provided as information becomes available.
Welcoming Kelda Newport
NLPB is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelda Newport to the position of Director of Quality Assurance and Licensing. In this role, Kelda will oversee NLPB’s Quality Assurance (QA) and Licensing portfolios, working with the QA team to advance initiatives and develop the continuous quality improvement program, MedSTEP NL.
Kelda is a registered pharmacist who is committed to quality care, participating as a Quality of Care NL Social and Health System Clinical Lead and serving as a member of NLPB’s QA Committee. Kelda’s most recent work experience, as the project coordinator for SaferMedsNL since 2018 and as a complaints investigator for NLPB since 2020, will serve her well in her new role. As a complaints investigator, Kelda had the unique opportunity to engage in determining root causes and contributing factors for medication incidents and near misses in accordance with pharmacy policies and procedures.
Following her graduation from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) and a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry (Nutrition)) in 2010, Kelda spent the first 7 years of her career practicing in community pharmacy, with a specific clinical practice in opioid use disorder at the Opioid Treatment Centre. She has continued her education throughout her career, graduating with a Master of Public Health in 2022.
Kelda’s education, work experience, and commitment to evidence-informed practice improvement will be of great value to NLPB as she works with the team to ensure the QA program can have the greatest impact on the quality and safety of pharmacy practice in the province.
Call for Interest – MedSTEP NL Task Force
NLPB is currently seeking representatives from independent and banner community pharmacies to join the MedSTEP NL Task Force.
At the March 2022 board meeting, NLPB adopted, in principle, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) Model Standards for Continuous Quality Improvement and Medication Incident Reporting. NLPB is striking a task force, which will be responsible for providing feedback on an interpretation guide, advising on CQI program components, and recommending implementation deadlines.
NLPB would like to thank those who have already expressed interest to join the Task Force and greatly appreciates registrants’ interest in participating in this opportunity to impact the quality and safety of pharmacy practice in the province.
If you would like to be a part of this important piece of work, please submit your expression of interest to QA@nlpb.ca by Wednesday, February 8, 2023, including a brief biography, relevant experience, and the reason you are interested in participating.
Call for Interest – Disciplinary Panel
NLPB is currently seeking registered pharmacists to serve as members of NLPB’s Disciplinary Panel. For full details, please visit: https://www.nlpb.ca/call-for-expression-of-interest-disciplinary-panel
Members of the Disciplinary Panel are called on occasionally to sit on three-person adjudication tribunals to hear complaints regarding registrants who are referred by the Complaints Authorization Committee.
If you are interested, please submit your name, contact information, a brief bio (including any relevant experience), and a few lines about why you are interested in being part of the Disciplinary Panel to complaints@nlpb.ca by Thursday, February 16, 2023.
Revised Standards of Pharmacy Operation for Community Pharmacy
As announced in the fall of 2022, NLPB has approved the revised Standards of Pharmacy Operation for Community Pharmacy.
The expectation is that the requirements of the Standards should be met at the earliest possible date but no later than September 1, 2023. All new pharmacy openings will be expected to meet the Standards at the time of opening.
Pharmacy professionals, including pharmacists-in-charge, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians, should review the recent article in the Fall 2022 issue of The Apothecary for a summary of key changes and also review the Standards in their entirety at their earliest convenience.
Additional resources, such as a webinar series focusing on key changes, are being planned for the spring. Pharmacy professionals are encouraged to share their topic suggestions by contacting practicequestions@nlpb.ca.
Deactivating Old Prescriptions
Pharmacy professionals are reminded that policies and procedures must be in place to ensure that only the most recent prescription for a continuing therapy remains active. In addition to preventing older prescriptions from being filled in error, this ensures the accuracy of the provincial electronic health record by preventing multiple prescriptions for the same medication from being flagged as active.
Per section 3.3 j) of the Standards of Pharmacy Operation for Community Pharmacy, “When filling or logging a prescription for continuing therapy, any existing prescriptions for the same drug therapy with refills remaining must be deactivated to prevent them from being inappropriately filled in the future.”
NLPB’s Public Register
NLPB’s interactive Public Register is now available on our website at: https://nlpb.portalca.thentiacloud.net/webs/portal/register/#/.
Pharmacy professionals are asked to review their listing on the public register to ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date. Please note, employment information can be updated by logging into the registrant portal and clicking Employment Information on the main menu, to update any other information, please contact registration@nlpb.ca. If you are unable to find your listing, please contact registration@nlpb.ca to ensure your registration is active.
Pharmacists-in-Charge (PICs) are responsible for ensuring all information in the pharmacy listing is accurate and up-to-date. Please ensure all registered pharmacy professionals employed by the pharmacy are listed under Staff Listing. It is the PIC’s responsibility to ensure all regulated staff is registered to practice. Please note, you can view the registration information for any staff who are currently registered with NLPB by clicking the View Registration button next to their name in the public register pharmacy listing. Any staff listed without the View Registration button next to their name are currently inactive and are not permitted to work as a regulated pharmacy professional in the province. If any of the regulated staff currently working in the pharmacy are not listed in the public register, please contact registration@nlpb.ca immediately to verify the status of their registration.
Registration & Licensing Certificates
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician 2023 registration certificates are now available for download through the NLPB Registrant Portal. To download, log into your account and click the Certificate & Pocket Card link under Profile on the side menu and then click the Download Certificate button. Please ensure the latest version of Adobe Reader is installed on your device. Should you have any issues accessing the file, please contact registration@nlpb.ca for support.
Please note, pharmacists-in-charge (PICs) should have received a copy of the pharmacy licence certificates in their email in January. If you are a PIC and have not yet received a copy of your licence by email, please contact licensing@nlpb.ca.
Please note, once received, PICs are required to print and display the licence in a conspicuous part of the pharmacy in full public view.
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician Authorization Applications Now Online
Applications for authorizations for expanded scope of practice, service as a preceptor, and designation as Pharmacist-in-Charge must now be completed and submitted through the NLPB Registrant Portal. For instructions on submitting an application for authorization online, please refer to the NLPB Registrant Portal User Guide – Applying for Authorizations.
Regular reminders
- Registrant Contact Information – Registrants are responsible for ensuring that the contact information on their registrant profile, including email address and practice site, is accurate at all times. The NLPB primarily uses email communication to send newsletters, renewal reminders, practice site assessment information, professional development audit information, calls for interest for committees, and other alerts. If the email address on file is incorrect, important information may be missed and/or disclosed to the wrong person. If your contact information changes, please update your information on file by logging into the NLPB Registrant Portal.
- Application Submission – NLPB receives many applications for processing. Unfortunately, some of the applications submitted are illegible, incomplete, or missing supporting documentation or payment, leading to delays in processing and approving the application. In order to ensure that your application is processed in a timely manner, please take a moment before submission to ensure that all fields are completed and legible and that all supporting documentation is included. All supporting documentation should adhere to NLPB’s Scanning Guidelines and Checklist for Document Submissions Policy. These small steps will help improve the process for both the applicant and NLPB.
This e-newsletter contains information on a wide variety of topics intended to enhance the practice of pharmacy in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. As it is published and circulated to all registrants on a monthly basis, it is the expectation of NLPB that all registrants are aware of the matters contained therein.
