Step 1: Submit a Notice of Intent
A notice of intent or a completed Pharmacy Closing Statement must be submitted to Pharmacy Applications & Renewals within seven (7) days of closing the pharmacy, and include the following information:
- The name of the pharmacy
- The accreditation number of the pharmacy
- The address of the pharmacy
- The name of the corporation which operates the pharmacy
- The closing date (first full day the pharmacy will be closed)
- The name, address and accreditation number of the pharmacy where prescription files will be transferred (if known).
Notice may be submitted by email to pharmacyapplications@ocpinfo.com, faxed to 416-847-8399 or mailed to the attention of Pharmacy Applications & Renewals at 483 Huron St, Toronto, ON M5R 2R4.
Step 2: Closing Day
On closing day, the College will contact the Director Liaison or the Designated Manager of the pharmacy to confirm whether the pharmacy has officially closed to the public. Once confirmed, the pharmacy’s status on the College’s Find a Pharmacy or Pharmacy Professional tool will be updated to “Closed”.
Step 3: Filing a Pharmacy Closing Statement
A Pharmacy Closing Statement must be completed and filed with the College within thirty (30) days of the pharmacy closing unless previously submitted as part of step 1 above.
Temporary Closures
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 available on the College’s website in advance of a planned closure, or immediately after the closure, in the case of an unplanned closure.
Temporary closures of three (3) days or less do not need to be reported unless it conflicts with a previously scheduled OCP assessment.
Temporary closures may not exceed three (3) months, unless otherwise approved by the Registrar.
Appropriate reasons for a temporary closure include but are not limited to:
- Fire
- Flood
- Personal family emergency
- Health-related emergency
- Religious holidays
- Public health emergency (i.e., pandemic)
- Inability (short term – 1-2 weeks) to secure a pharmacist in remote areas
- Inability to access pharmacy (locked out, need to relocate)
The College will notify Ontario Drug Benefits (ODB) of temporary closures and the pharmacy’s status on the College’s Find a Pharmacy or Pharmacy Professional tool will be updated. While temporarily closed, the pharmacy is not permitted to operate, bill or fill prescriptions.
Should the re-opening date change, the pharmacy must notify the College, in writing, upon the new re-opening date becoming known or of a delay to the re-opening.
Notices may be submitted by email to pharmacyapplications@ocpinfo.com, faxed to 416-847-8399 or mailed to the attention of Pharmacy Applications & Renewals at 483 Huron St, Toronto, ON M5R 2R4.
Patient/Public Notification Required for all closures
- All patients with prescriptions prepared and awaiting pick up should be contacted, advised of the closure, and given the opportunity to obtain their prepared prescriptions.
- Notices to the public should include details of the closure, location of alternative pharmacies, emergency contact number (if available), and any other information to assist with obtaining access to patient records and continuity of care. Examples of notification methods include:
- Posted signs in and around the pharmacy
- Outgoing voicemail message
- Websites and social media, if applicable
- Local media
- Posted notices at doctor’s offices or clinics
- Road signs
- The Designated Manager is responsible for the security of scheduled I, II & III drugs throughout the period of closure. Review the College’s policy on Medication Procurement and Inventory Management, and the Narcotic Control Regulation.
- The Designated Manager is responsible for the security of personal health information throughout the period of closure