July • August 2003 - Ontario College of Pharmacists

COLUMN
deficiency is extreme, the inspector may request a re-inspection
of the pharmacy in addition to an action plan.
*An article detailing the Action Plan will be published in a
future edition.
Pharmacy Re-inspection
The goal of a re-inspection is to ensure that the pharmacy
has achieved compliance. The re-inspection is handled
much like a regular inspection with special attention being
paid to the issues/deficiencies identified in the prior inspection.
Re-inspections normally occur within one to six months
(after the College receives the action plan) and are
performed by the compliance officer. Re-inspections are not
usually done by the original inspector so as to allow the
pharmacy to be reviewed without bias.
Pharmacies that fail to achieve compliance upon this reinspection
are then referred to the Accreditation Committee
for a decision. The designated manager will be asked to
provide a detailed action plan for the compliance officer that
is then forwarded to the Accreditation Committee, along
with the pharmacy’s previous inspection history, for review
and decision.
Accreditation Committee
The Accreditation Committee is a statutory committee
under the Pharmacy Act comprising of pharmacist members
of Council, non-Council pharmacist members and public
members appointed to Council. One of the Committee’s
duties is to address issues related to the Certificates of
Accreditation of pharmacies that have failed to achieve
compliance.
In reviewing the inspection reports and any information
provided by a pharmacy, the Committee can make the
following decisions:
1. Conclude the matter
2. Request another re-inspection with costs
3. Refer the pharmacy to the Discipline Committee
4. Refer the pharmacy to the Discipline Committee and
request an Interim Suspension of the Certificate of
Accreditation
5. Refer the owner/designated manager to the Executive
Committee to recommend action
Helping Pharmacists Achieve the
Accreditation Standards
For most pharmacies, the inspection process results in a
successful report that the pharmacy has met the accreditation
standards. Some pharmacies require multiple visits
before compliance is achieved. Very few re-inspections
result in a pharmacy being referred to the Accreditation
Committee.
The ultimate goal of the College is to provide advice and
feedback to the designated manager and/or owner in order to
achieve compliance for the pharmacy.
If you have questions about a past or upcoming inspection,
please feel free to contact your inspector. They will be
pleased to assist you.
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