Statutory and standing committees support the work of the College Board. The committees are made up of elected pharmacists, publicly-appointed members from the Board and appointed non-board committee members.
Legend:
T = Technician
H = Hospital
HT = Hospital Technician
Statutory Committees are required through legislation:
Committee Role:
The Accreditation Committee, typically working in panels, considers matters relating to the operation of pharmacies in Ontario including new applications and renewals of certificates of accreditation as well as operational issues noted during the pharmacy operations assessment process.
Issuances and Renewals of Certificates of Accreditation
The Accreditation Committee reviews all issuance and renewal applications for pharmacy certificates of accreditation that the Registrar proposes to refuse and directs the Registrar to either issue/renew, refuse, or impose terms, conditions, or limitations on the certificate of accreditation.
Operational Assessments
The Accreditation Committee also considers operational assessment results of pharmacies referred by the operations advisor due to potential public safety concerns. When reviewing assessment results, the committee may choose one of the following outcomes:
Interim Order
The Accreditation Committee also has the authority to impose an interim order directing the Registrar to suspend, or to impose terms, conditions, or limitations on a certificate of accreditation, if it is of the opinion that the conduct or operation of a pharmacy is likely to expose a patient, or a member of the public, to harm or injury.
Public Directors:
Professional Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Katryna Spadafore
Committee Role:
Panels of the Discipline Committee hear allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence against registrants, as well as allegations of proprietary misconduct in relation to the operation of a pharmacy. Most matters are resolved by way of an uncontested hearing in which the registrant admits to the allegations and the supporting facts, and the registrant and College make joint submissions as to the appropriate sanction.
If there is a contested hearing the College is required to prove its case by presenting evidence to the panel, following which the panel decides in relation to each allegation. If the panel makes a finding or findings of professional misconduct or incompetence against a registrant, the panel may make an order to:
Information about any current allegations or previous findings of professional or proprietary misconduct or incompetence relating to a registrant are outlined on the College’s Public Register, including any terms, conditions, or limitations imposed on a registrant’s Certificate of Registration. Hearings are open to the public and information can be found on the College’s website.
Elected Directors (all):
Public Directors:
Professional Committee Appointees:
Lay Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Angela Bates
Committee Role:
The Executive Committee exercises all the powers and duties of the Board between Board meetings that require urgent attention and reports its activities, decisions, and recommendations through the Chair at each meeting of the Board. It reviews and recommends to the Board changes to applicable statutes, regulations, by-laws, College policies and standards of practice and ensures the policies of the Board are carried out. The Committee also fulfills specific financial, and compensation related duties set out in the by-laws.
The Executive Committee is comprised of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, and three (3) additional Directors, such that at least two (2) Directors are Elected Directors and at least two (2) Directors are Public Directors. The Committee is resourced by the CEO and Registrar.
Elected Directors:
Public Directors:
Staff Resource: Shenda Tanchak
Committee Role:
After conducting inquiries into a registrant’s health, the Inquiries Complaints and Reports Committee can refer the matter to the Fitness to Practise Committee for incapacity proceedings.
Most proceedings before the Fitness to Practise Committee result in a voluntary admission by the registrant of incapacity, which is supported by a medical opinion. In many instances of voluntary admissions, the registrant has enrolled in a monitoring contract with the Ontario Pharmacy Health Program (OPHP) offered through Lifemark Health Group. The OPHP provides case management and monitoring services for registrants of the College. The primary objective is to ensure that registrants receive appropriate treatment and monitoring and remain in stable recovery thereby allowing them to practise safely when they return to a practice environment. The OPHP is available to all College registrants, and can be accessed anonymously by a registrant, or can be facilitated by the College via the incapacity process.
In cases where a registrant is enrolled in a monitoring program, the registrant’s case is still reviewed by the Committee, but the College and the registrant may seek to waive the notice and procedural requirements set out in the applicable legislation, which require that a hearing into the registrant’s capacity be convened before the Committee. Instead, the registrant may enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the College (“MOA”) agreeing she or he is incapacitated and the resulting terms, conditions or limitations to be placed on the registrant’s Certificate of Registration. Through the MOA, both parties authorize a Panel of the Committee to issue a Consent Order finding the registrant to be incapacitated without a formal hearing.
In instances where the College and the registrant do not reach an agreement regarding the issue of incapacity and/or the appropriate order to be made, the Fitness to Practise Committee may hold a hearing to determine whether a registrant is incapacitated, and if so whether terms, conditions or limitations should be placed on the registrant’s Certificate of Registration, or whether the registrant’s Certificate of Registration should be suspended or revoked.
When an incapacity matter is referred to the Fitness to Practise Committee, the fact of the referral is available to the public through the Public Register. At the end of the Fitness to Practise process, only the information necessary to protect the public is available through the Public Register. Unlike disciplinary proceedings, incapacity proceedings are not public.
Professional Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Genevieve Plummer
Committee Role:
The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (“ICRC”) is a screening committee that oversees all investigations into a registrant’s conduct, competence, and/or capacity. Meeting in panels, the committee reviews all complaint investigations, Registrar’s investigations, and health inquiries. Panels consider the facts of each case, review submissions from the registrant and complainant (if applicable), and consider relevant records and documents related to the case to determine an outcome. Depending on the nature of the investigation, a panel of the ICRC can choose one or more of the following outcomes:
If a registrant is required to complete a SCERP or appear before a panel of the ICRC to be cautioned; or if specified allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence are referred to the Discipline Committee for a hearing, information regarding these outcomes will be posted on the College’s public register.
Interim Order
The ICRC also has the authority to impose an interim order directing the Registrar to suspend, or to impose terms, conditions, or limitations on a registrant’s certificate of registration if it is of the opinion that the conduct of the registrant exposes or is likely to expose the registrant’s patients to harm or injury. Interim orders are also noted on the public register.
Public Directors:
Professional Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Katryna Spadafore
Committee Role:
The Patient Relations Committee advises the Board with respect to the Patient Relations Program defined as “a program to enhance relations between members (registrants) and patients.” This includes implementing measures for preventing and dealing with sexual abuse of patients as well as the provision of funding for therapy and counselling for patients who have alleged to have been sexually abused by a registrant. As part of its role and as defined under By-Law #6, the Committee may be required at the Board’s discretion to recommend changes to applicable statutes, regulations, by-laws, College policies and standards of practice as well as provide guidance to the Board on matters concerning patient relations.
Professional Committee Appointees:
Lay Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Todd Leach
Committee Role:
The Quality Assurance Committee oversees the College’s Quality Assurance program which helps ensure the continuing competency of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to protect the public. As described in the legislated Objects of the College, the purpose of the QA program is not only to assure the public that healthcare professionals are competent to provide patient care, but also to contribute to individual and system-wide continuous quality improvement.
OCP’s QA program is grounded in current best practice which indicates that multiple yet complementary assessment modalities employed on different occasions in the practitioner’s practice is the best approach. OCP’s QA program includes the following QA activities: self-assessment, practice assessment, and the new knowledge assessment.
Each of these activities provide feedback that either validates the practitioner’s current practice or identifies learning opportunities. In this way, each of these activities feed into determining the ongoing professional development that is required.
The QA Committee oversees the development of QA requirements and related policies and makes recommendations to the Board regarding regulatory changes. In addition, the Committee appoints quality assurance assessors annually. Panels of the QA Committee review practice and peer assessment reports and require those individuals whose knowledge, skill and judgement have been assessed and found to have fallen below a cut score (based on the Standards) to participate in remediation. Such remediation focuses on the individual practice competence of the registrant, rather than broader topic remediation required by other statutory committees.
The Committee can also direct the Registrar to impose terms, conditions, or limitations for a specified period on the certificate of registration of a registrant whose knowledge, skill and judgement has been assessed or reassessed and found to have consistently fallen below standards, or who has been directed to participate in specified education or remediation and has not completed those programs successfully. The Committee may sit as a panel to consider any matter arising out of a practice assessment, clinical knowledge assessment or any matter relating to the imposition of terms, conditions, or limitations on a registrant’s certificate.
Public Directors (2):
Professional Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Susan James
Committee Role:
As set out in the Objects of the College, the College, through the Registration Committee, is responsible for developing, establishing, and maintaining standards of qualification for persons to be issued certificates of registration. The role of the Committee is defined in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) and the General Regulation under the Pharmacy Act. The legislation also sets out requirements that the Office of the Fairness Commissioner (OFC) oversees for the purpose of ensuring registration practices are transparent, objective, impartial and fair for anyone applying to practice their profession in Ontario.
Within these parameters, the Registration Committee oversees the development of registration requirements and related policies and makes recommendations to the Board on changes to these requirements.
An overview of core registration requirements is provided in the table below:
| Requirements for All Classes | Additional Requirements for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (Non-exemptible) |
|---|---|
| Language Proficiency | Education |
| Good Character
-Police Background Check |
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Qualifying Exam |
| Canadian Citizen or appropriate status | OCP Jurisprudence Exam |
| Personal Professional Liability Insurance | OCP Practical Training
Practice Assessment of Competence on Entry (PACE) for pharmacists Structured Practical Training (SPT) for pharmacy technicians |
| Required Fees Paid |
Note: There are four permanent classes of registration and two temporary classes (emergency assignment) of registration. The requirements for each are posted on the College website.
Panels of the Registration Committee are responsible for reviewing all applications that do not clearly meet the requirements for the Registrar to issue a Certificate of Registration. Panels decide if the applicant meets the registration requirements and direct the Registrar to either register the Applicant (with or without any additional training, education or examinations, or terms, conditions, and limitations). All decisions of the Registration Committee panels are appealable to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board.
Public Directors:
Professional Committee Appointees:
Dean:
Ontario Pharm Tech Program Rep:
Lay Committee Appointee:
Staff Resource: Sandra Winkelbauer
Standing Committees are created by the Board through by-laws:
Committee Role:
The Drug Preparation Premises (DPP) Committee considers matters relating to the operation of drug preparation premises in Ontario. The DPP Committee is responsible for the oversight of registrants engaging in or supervising drug preparation activities, ensuring requirements defined in legislation and policy and assessment criteria are adhered to. The committee reviews the results of DPP assessments and issues one of the following outcomes: pass, pass with conditions or fail.
Public Directors:
Professional Committee Appointees:
Staff Resource: Katryna Spadafore
Committee Role:
The Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) is responsible for supervising and making recommendations to the Board regarding College assets and liabilities, as well as additions or improvements to property owned or operated by the College. The Committee reviews and recommends to the Board the annual operating budget prepared by staff, monitors, and reports on the College’s financial status, and directs the audit process. The Committee also recommends any changes to applicable by-laws, policies (e.g., reserve funds, execution of contracts), and standards.
The Finance and Audit Committee engages external auditors to assess and test the College’s internally produced financial statements, significant accounting policies, management judgements and estimates, and the internal control environment to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. The Committee recommends the appointment or reappointment of the auditor each year and meets with the auditor before and after the audit.
Elected Directors:
Public Director:
Staff Resource: Connie Campbell
Committee Role:
The Governance Committee determines the competencies the Board will be seeking in the Board elections and implements the succession strategy for Chair and Vice Chair and Executive Committee positions. The Committee also recommends the slate of Committee appointees for the Board’s consideration and oversees orientation, training and evaluation of the Directors and Board.
Elected Directors:
Public Directors:
Staff Resource: Sarah MacDougall
Committee Role:
The Screening Committee administers the process for screening applicants to be qualified as candidates for the Board. Reviews applications and recommends applicants to be appointed as Professional Committee Appointees or Lay Committee Appointees.
Elected Directors: TBA
Public Director: TBA
Lay Committee Appointees: TBA
Staff Resource: Governance Coordinator
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