Pharmacies > Operating a Community Pharmacy

Operating a Community Pharmacy

Community pharmacies must operate within the applicable legislation, regulations, Standards of Operation and policies/guidelines. Owners, directors and Designated Managers may wish to review the following information regarding operating a community pharmacy:

  • Pharmacy Accreditation Renewal Process. All accredited pharmacies in Ontario must complete an application for renewal of their Certificate of Accreditation annually, on or before May 10.
  • Community Pharmacy and Remote Dispensing Location Assessments. During a community pharmacy assessment, a College operations advisor reviews the pharmacy’s operations. The assessment is designed to ensure the pharmacy is adhering to operations standards and has the proper processes and procedures in place.
  • Time-Delayed Safes. To deter pharmacy robberies, all community pharmacies must use a time-delayed safe for securing narcotics and display College-approved time-delayed safe signage.
  • Corporate Amendments. A corporate amendment occurs when there is a change to the corporation. Examples include but are not limited to changes to the corporate name, the addition or removal of a Director, or changes to the corporate share structure. The College must be notified within 30 days of the changes coming into effect.
  • Relocating a Community Pharmacy. Relocating an existing pharmacy to a new address is equivalent to opening a new pharmacy and requires issuance of a new Certificate of Accreditation.
  • Renovating a Community Pharmacy. The College must be notified and approve of any material change to the size or physical layout of an existing accredited pharmacy. A complete Notice of Community Pharmacy Renovation form along with a pharmacy floor plan must be submitted to the College for approval at least 45 days prior to commencing any renovations to a pharmacy.
  • Permanently or Temporarily Closing a Community Pharmacy. Permanently or Temporarily Closing a Community Pharmacy. Operators who wish to permanently close an accredited pharmacy must notify the College prior to the proposed closing date and file a closing statement detailing the disposition of narcotics and controlled drugs, prescription and non-prescription drugs, and patient records. Operators who wish to temporarily close an accredited pharmacy for a period exceeding three (3) days on which the pharmacy would ordinarily be open, shall notify the College using the Community Pharmacy Notification of Temporary Closure form in advance of a planned closure, or immediately after the closure, in the case of an unplanned closure.

Resources to Support Pharmacy Operations

FAQs

  • To change the pharmacy’s operating hours, the Designated Manager or Director Liaison of the pharmacy must submit a written request to the College (attn: Pharmacy Applications & Renewals) detailing the name, address and accreditation number of the pharmacy, the new hours of operation and the effective date of the change. Send all requests to [email protected].

  • To change the dispensing fee for a pharmacy, the Designated Manager or Director Liaison of the pharmacy must submit a written request to the College (attn: Pharmacy Applications & Renewals) detailing the name, address and accreditation number of the pharmacy, the current dispensing fee, the new dispensing fee and the effective date of the change. Send all requests to [email protected].

  • To change the trading name of a pharmacy, the Director Liaison of the pharmacy must submit a written request to the College (attn: Pharmacy Applications & Renewals) detailing the current trading name, address and accreditation number of the pharmacy, the new name by which the pharmacy will be known to the public and include a copy of the prescription label for the pharmacy with the new trading name. Send all requests to [email protected]

  • When a pharmacy is accredited, the Point of Care sign, the Usual & Customary Fee and Notice to Patients signs will be provided by the College after completion of a satisfactory accreditation assessment and are to be posted as soon as possible after they are received.

    Signage for time-delayed safes can be downloaded directly from the Time-Delayed Safes webpage.

    Signage for Remote Dispensing Locations can be accessed via the Checklist for Opening a Remote Dispensing Location Staffed by a Pharmacy Technician.

    To order replacements of any physical signage, please email: [email protected].

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