Reporting Responsibilities

3 Things to Know about Reporting Information to the College

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To protect patients and contribute to safe and effective pharmacy care, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, employers and facility operators have obligations to report certain information to the College. Pharmacy Connection shares three things pharmacy professionals should know about their reporting responsibilities.


Trust seal iconMandatory reporting is a duty under the Regulated Health Professions Act

Under the Regulated Health Professions Act all employers, facility operators and regulated health professionals have a mandatory duty to report to the College for any of the following reasons:

Employers, including pharmacy owners and Designated Managers, must file a report with the College if a registrant’s employment is terminated, they are suspended or other privileges are revoked for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity. This obligation remains even if the registrant resigned or relinquished any privileges prior to the employer having done so. Reporting is not required for issues that don’t compromise patient safety or contravene standards of practice (such as lateness).

Facility operators, which may include employers, must file a report with the College if they suspect a registrant has sexually abused a patient or if they suspect the registrant is incompetent or incapacitated.

Health professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, have a mandatory duty to report if they believe that another health professional has sexually abused a patient.

Self-Reporting

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must self-report certain information to the College within 30 days of being charged with an offence, being found guilty of an offence, having a finding of professional negligence or malpractice, having a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity, or being the subject of a current investigation or proceeding for professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.


Calendar with 30 daysThe College must be notified within 30 days of the incident

If you are sending a report to the College in accordance with reporting obligations under the Regulated Health Professions Act, you must send it within 30 days of the incident. If you miss the 30-day window, send the report as quickly as possible.

It’s important to note that reporting information to the College does not necessarily mean that any action will be taken—it only means that the College has an opportunity to review the information and assess whether further investigation is required.

If you are in doubt whether a mandatory report is required, you may wish to submit one and allow the College to assess the information contained within the report to determine if further action is required.


Scales of justiceReporting information is a shared, ethical responsibility

Everyone, including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, managers and owners, has an obligation to protect patients and promote the quality and safety of pharmacy care. Reporting relevant information to the College is an important part of these responsibilities.

In addition to mandatory reporting obligations under legislation, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians also have obligations under the Code of Ethics, and must raise concerns to the appropriate authority if they reasonably believe human resources, policies, procedures, working conditions or the actions, professional performance or health of others may compromise patient care or public safety.


Helpful Links

Regulated Health Professions Act (sections 85.1 to 85.6.2)

Mandatory Reporting Form for employers, facility operators and regulated health professionals

Self-Reporting Form

What does incapacitated mean?


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