Tories pledge expanded role for pharmacists

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This article was published 19/09/2023 (806 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba pharmacists will be able to dole out medication for minor ailments such as strep throat and pink eye without a doctor’s prescription if the Progressive Conservatives win the Oct. 3 election.

Radisson candidate James Teitsma made the campaign promise to expand pharmacists’ scope of practice Tuesday morning outside Northway Pharmacy Harbourview on Concordia Avenue East.

“These changes are about making health care more accessible, more convenient and more efficient for parents and their children,” said Teitsma, who was joined by Midland candidate Lauren Stone.

The Tories turned their attention to health care during the third week of the election campaign, starting with a commitment on Monday to spend $30 million annually on health-care recruitment.

Under the PCs’ plan, community-based pharmacists would be given the regulatory authority to diagnose and treat some minor conditions currently handled by doctors and other health-care providers with prescribing authority.

Teitsma said pink eye (or conjunctivitis), strep throat, minor skin infections, tick bites, sprains, strains and menstrual pain are examples of conditions pharmacists could treat within their current practice.

“We want to streamline health care and make it more accessible for all Manitobans,” said Teitsma. “We think this is a simple solution to a common problem and that it will save Manitobans time and money.”

The Tories also hope to have pharmacists play a greater role in managing chronic conditions such as high-blood pressure and diabetes, and provide point-of-care testing.

A full practice scope will be determined through consultation with pharmacists and regulators, according to the PCs.

Manitoba pharmacists have spent years advocating for changes; meanwhile, their colleagues in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario have received the green-light to take on more clinical roles, Pharmacists Manitoba president Darren Murphy said.

“Working collaboratively to better utilize our profession will not only help us retain pharmacy graduates in our province, but also help ensure Manitobans can access care that is timely, appropriate, easy and equitable,” said Murphy, chief executive officer of Northway Pharmacy.

On Tuesday, the association emphasized it is non-partisan and is willing to work with any political party ready to advance the profession in Manitoba.

Teitsma was unable to say how many people are expected to choose a pharmacist over a doctor for care, or if the proposed services would be capped annually.

Specifics on the costs, or savings, to the government of moving patients out of physicians’ offices were not provided, but the expense is expected to be within the existing health-care budget.

The NDP’s Uzoma Asagwara panned the Tories’ promise for its lack of details and questioned why changes were not made during the past seven years.

“Pharmacists have been making this request for years and the PC government hasn’t been listening,” the Union Station candidate said.

“Any way we can make sure Manitobans have access to the health care they need in a timely manner, by folks who have the scope of practice to provide quality care, I think that we should support that.”

Changing the health-care system is an ongoing process, and other areas — including implementing the government’s health human resources action plan — had to be done first, Teitsma said.

“It’s certainly a priority for us now, and that’s our focus,” he said.

Teitsma noted the Tories expanded pharmacists’ scope of practice to diagnose and treat recurring, uncomplicated urinary tract infections in 2021. Manitobans can get three assessments per year at no cost.

At the time, Doctors Manitoba said it was not consulted on the change and important questions about continuity of care, follow-ups and assessments were unaddressed.

Last month, the physicians’ professional association made several recommendations for political parties to adopt, including expanding team-based care (which involves pharmacists) within existing doctors’ offices.

Also Tuesday, the Tories promised to keep the cash flowing to community sports, arts and cultural groups.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

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Fort Whyte candidate Obby Khan said a re-elected PC government will put another $100 million in the Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund (ACSC) to be distributed over four years.

“We need to offer more support to continue making our communities stronger and healthier,” Khan said.

The Tories also promised to kick in another $10 million to support an aquatic facility at the City of Winnipeg’s planned South Winnipeg Recreation Campus.

The provincial government has already provided $31.1 million to the $90 million project.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca