Relevance to Suitability to Register, Practise or Operate

Occasionally, the College learns of information about a pharmacy professional’s questionable conduct or behaviour and must determine if it is relevant to his or her suitability to register as a registrant of the College, practice pharmacy, or operate a pharmacy.

The Fall 2015 Pharmacy Connection article, Relevance to Suitability to Register, Practise or Operate outlines the process and provides examples of the criteria for assessment, how the process works, and the actions that may be taken.

The assessment process was developed to:

  • Provide greater transparency regarding the process for determining when conduct is considered relevant
  • Establish precedents for the type of conduct that is considered relevant
  • Provide clear guidance on how decisions are made
  • Ensure consistency in decision-making

Below is a summary of the process for how the College determines if a person’s conduct or behaviour is relevant to his or her suitability to register as a registrant of the College, practice pharmacy, or operate a pharmacy..

Criteria for Assessment

To help guide the assessment process, the College developed a Decision-Making Tool and Framework that facilitates a review of a pharmacy professional’s identified conduct or behaviour. In determining the criteria for assessment, the College considered the general requirements of practice and identified four core areas that define the profession.

For each area, the College identified the behaviour that is expected of a pharmacy professional, and reviewed the type of conduct that would be considered relevant to a professional’s suitability to register as a registrant, practise pharmacy or operate a pharmacy.

These areas are:

  1. Ethical Delivery of Quality Healthcare
  2. Honesty and Integrity
  3. Governability
  4. Financial Responsibility
Process for Reviewing Conduct or Behaviour

The process for reviewing conduct has three steps. It begins with receiving and verifying the information, followed by further investigation if necessary. Finally, using the Decision-Making Tool and Framework, the conduct or behaviour is assessed to determine its relevance to a person’s suitability to register as a registrant of the College, practice pharmacy, or operate a pharmacy.

Proceeding with Appropriate Action

Depending on the result of the review, several actions may be taken.

If the conduct or behaviour in question is found to be of a minimal to low risk to the public and not relevant to a professional’s suitability to register as a registrant, practise pharmacy or operate a pharmacy, the Registrar may take no action.

If the conduct or behaviour in question is found to be of moderate risk or higher, and is relevant to a professional’s suitability to register as a registrant, practise pharmacy or operate a pharmacy, the Registrar will direct one or more of the following:

1. Post charges and/or findings on the Find a Pharmacy or Pharmacy Professional section of the College website.

2. Refer Applications to Operate a Pharmacy to the Accreditation Committee. The Committee has the authority to direct one or more of the following:

  • Issue the Certificate of Accreditation and allow the pharmacy to operate
  • Issue the Certificate of Accreditation with terms, conditions and limitations on the pharmacy’s operation, as appropriate
  • Refuse to issue the Certificate of Accreditation and not allow the pharmacy to operate

3. Refer Applicants to Registration Committee. The Committee has the authority to direct one or more of the following:

  • Issue the Certificate of Registration and allow the applicant to register as a registrant of the College
  • Issue the Certificate of Registration if the applicant successfully completes additional examinations set by the Committee
  • Issue the Certificate of Registration if the applicant successfully completes additional training set by the Committee
  • Issue the Certificate of Registration with terms, conditions and limitations on the applicant’s right to practise
  • Refuse to issue the Certificate of Registration and not allow the applicant to register as a registrant of the College

Read more about the process for determining if a pharmacy professional’s questionable conduct or behaviour is considered relevant to their suitability to register, practice or operate in the Fall 2015 Pharmacy Connection article, Relevance to Suitability to Register, Practise or Operate.

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