Can the process of gathering information to inform the pharmacist’s patient assessment be performed by a pharmacy technician? What about the process of notifying the prescriber?

Pharmacy technicians can gather and document relevant health information from the patient and conduct a Best Possible Medication History to inform the pharmacist’s patient assessment and support their decision-making. They can also assist the pharmacist in documenting and notifying the patient’s primary care provider about the minor ailment service and, if one is issued, the details of the prescription.  

The Designated Manager should have processes in place to incorporate pharmacy technicians into the workflow for minor ailment services and to support registrants in practicing to their full scope. Pharmacy technicians cannot “provide information or education relating to drug use, either to or for a patient, where the provision of the information requires therapeutic knowledge, clinical analysis or clinical assessment” due to the terms, limitations, and conditions on their certificate of registration.