Transforming and Supporting Patient Care - Health Professions ...

174Chapter 7 – Professions of Chiropody and Podiatrymanagement and emergencies. 30 The CCO indicates that limitations ondispensing should be expressed in regulation and specify those classes ofdrugs that could be dispensed by members. Conditions would be placed onthe purposes for which a drug could be dispensed, and a professionalmisconduct regulation would require that drugs could only be dispensedwithout mark-up or profit to the member. 31The CCO said that there is no need for additional education or training forthe dispensing function.Members said that without the authority to dispense, in communities whereaccess to a pharmacist may be limited or where the patient is not able toget to a pharmacy easily, delays in treatment may occur and the conditionmay worsen. This is particularly the case in foot care, where elderly ordiabetes patients may have difficulty obtaining the drug needed to supporttheir treatment.What HPRAC FoundTransparencyHPRAC recognizes that while the act of dispensing has been interpreted formany years by the CCO as authorized through section 29 of the RHPA, theseemergency provisions were not intended to authorize the routine practiceof a profession, or to provide a back-door entry to controlled acts. Rather, itis important that the authority to perform a controlled act is clear tomembers, their patients and other professionals. The statutory authorityalso provides clear accountability for the CCO to regulate the profession tothe highest standard, with practice standards, quality assurance programsand professional misconduct rules in place and implemented.Readiness for ChangeThe profession’s written submission to HPRAC suggests that most membersof the chiropody profession who wish to administer substances by inhalationare expected to need an educational bridging program. The submissionfurther states that some members of the podiatry class who have notmaintained their currency with respect to inhalation may also take thebridging program. The submission also emphasized that only thoseregistrants who wish to self-initiate the administration of substances byinhalation will be required to successfully complete the bridging program.No additional education or training was envisaged for the dispensingfunction as proposedWhat other jurisdictions doThere are no specific authorities for dispensing in Canadian jurisdictionsthat regulate chiropody. In Alberta, authorized by the Lieutenant Governorin Council and subject to the CDSA, a podiatrist may purchase and supplydrugs, chemicals and compounds to patients. They may prescribe those30Ibid. 18.31Ibid. 18.HPRAC Critical Links January 2009