What are some of the key responsibilities that a Designated Manager (DM) has over and above that of a staff pharmacist or pharmacy technician?

The DM has authority and accountability over decisions affecting the operation of a pharmacy and is responsible for effectively overseeing the day-to-day management of the pharmacy.

Regulations place the responsibility of maintaining the standards of accreditation on the owner and DM. To ensure staff engagement and understanding in maintaining these standards, the DM must provide access and orientation to the pharmacy’s policies and procedures and have systems in place to assess ongoing compliance. For example, policies and procedures should address how pharmacy staff are required to collect, use, protect, store and dispose of personal health information, especially when using technology to deliver patient care.

DMs must meet and maintain the Standards of Operation for the pharmacy, which include implementation of the College’s Assurance and Improvement in Medication Safety (AIMS) program to support patient safety and continuous quality improvement. Internal policies and procedures must be regularly reviewed and updated in response to changes in the practice environment (i.e., public health emergencies, amendments to legislation, new equipment, etc.).

The Professional Supervision of Pharmacy Personnel Policy further describes the role of the DM in human resources management, such as ensuring:

• adequate supervision of both professional and lay staff to perform their assigned duties
• controlled acts are only performed by regulated staff or under delegation.
• workflow processes are sound, robust and consistently followed to optimize the delivery of professional services
• staffing supports registrants in meeting the standards of practice for patient care at all times

A comprehensive list of obligations can be found under the Role of Designated Manager section in the Application for a Certificate of Accreditation and/or Change of Designated Manager Form.