Purpose
This policy sets out the expectations on how the Board will determine when to open and close the Emergency Assignment Class(es) of Registration.
Application
This policy applies to:
- The Board of Directors, who will consider the following criteria before deciding to open or close the Emergency Assignment Class(es) of Registration.
Policy
On August 31, 2023, Ontario Regulation 256/24 under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 was amended to enable the Minister of Health or Council (Board of Directors) to permit the opening (and closing) of Emergency Assignment Classes of registration for pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians. When opening the Emergency Assignment Class(es), O. Reg. 256/24 states the following requirements must be met to issue a certificate of registration to a pharmacy professional:
“…the Council must have determined, after taking into account all of the relevant circumstances that impact the ability of applicants to meet the ordinary registration requirements, that there are emergency circumstances, and that it is in the public interest that the College issue emergency certificates of registration.”
O. Reg. 256/24 also states the expectations associated with closing the Emergency Assignment Class(es) of registration and transitioning existing certificate holders to other classes when the Minister of Health or the Board have declared the emergency circumstances have ended.
This policy describes the criteria that must be considered for the Board of Directors to declare that there are emergency circumstances to warrant the issuance of certificates of registration as pharmacists (emergency assignment) and/or pharmacy technicians (emergency assignment) as well as the procedure for opening and closing the Emergency Assignment Class(es) of registration.
Procedure
Opening the Emergency Assignment Class(es)
The Board of Directors must consider each of the following criteria when deciding whether an emergency circumstance exists to open the Emergency Assignment Class(es) to register pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians in the respective Emergency Assignment Class:
- There must be a current or imminent threat to the supply of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians to adequately service the needs of the public.
- An emergency situation, which has negatively impacted the public or the healthcare system, is or will impact the supply and/or demand of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians.
- There is a significant interruption to a specific registration pathway or to the College’s ability to process applications, which warrants immediate regulatory intervention.
- Emergency circumstances, which could include localized municipal/regional emergencies or provincial emergencies such as human-caused hazards, natural hazards, etc., have occurred and require immediate action.
- Activating the Emergency Assignment Class(es) will fully or partially remedy the threat to the supply and/or demand of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians.
- Considering all the circumstances, it is in the public interest for the College to activate the Emergency Assignment Class(es) of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians.
College staff will prepare a Briefing Note for the Board of Directors to consider whether emergency circumstances exist, and if it is in the public interest that the College issue emergency certificates of registration. Once the Board of Directors have determined that an Emergency Assignment Class should be opened, they will consider a motion to do so, including the date it will take effect. If the motion passes, College staff will begin to accept applications as per O. Reg. 256/24.
Continuous Assessment
Once an Emergency Assignment Class has been opened, the Registrar will monitor the situation and provide updates to the Board of Directors. The status of the emergency circumstances will be assessed at each regularly scheduled board meeting while the Emergency Assignment Class(es) is (are) active.
Closing the Emergency Assignment Class(es)
Once there is sufficient information to indicate that the emergency circumstances may have been rectified, College staff will prepare a Briefing Note for the Board of Directors to consider closing the Emergency Assignment Class(es). Where the Board of Directors determines that the criteria set out above are no longer in effect, or that it is otherwise no longer in the public interest for the College to issue and/or renew certificates of registration in the open Emergency Assignment Class(es), the Board will consider a motion to close the Emergency Assignment Class(es), including the effective date. If the motion passes, the emergency will be considered resolved and the Emergency Assignment Class(es) will be closed as of the effective date. Once closed, new applications for Emergency Assignment certificates of registration will not be processed and College staff will manage the transition for existing Emergency Assignment certificate holders according to the timelines set out in O. Reg. 256/24.