B.C.’s College of Pharmacists (CPBC) says the province’s pharmacies are understaffed, a situation it says could lead to medication errors for patients, a health safety issue.
“Pharmacy professionals keep telling us about serious staffing issues impacting their ability to provide safe and effective care,” CPBC CEO and registrar Suzanne Solven told Glacier Media.
The information comes from a tip line the professional regulator set up after a finding that corporate pharmacy operators were pressing , a situation the college reported in 2024 in its .
“The findings underscore the urgent need for action to ensure that business practices do not compromise the safety, health and well-being of British Columbians,” the college said in the report.
It was done following a survey sent to the province’s 9,608 active registered pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and students to assess the prevalence and impact of business metrics as they relate to public safety.
Some 2,199 people responded to the survey. More than 85 per cent of respondents were pharmacists, and of those, 59 per cent provided services at corporate or franchised pharmacies.
“Overall, the results of the survey indicated the negative impacts of business targets on the delivery of safe and effective client care, as well as on the mental health and well-being of registrants, which is deeply concerning to the CPBC board,” Solven said in her introduction to the report.
She told Glacier Media other provinces are seeing staff shortages. She called it “troubling.”
Now, the college has released results arising from calls to either the tip line or directly to the college.
"While the tips cover many public health and safety challenges, after reading through them there is a clear and common theme – pharmacies are critically understaffed to meet the ever-increasing demand for pharmaceutical services and there is a deep fear among professionals of making mistakes that could harm clients,” Solven said.
Solven said cut hours, reduced staff and unrealistic targets are at issue, but that the college is working to rectify these issues.
The tip line, she said, was to enable the college to hear from pharmacists directly.
“They’re sharing deeply concerning stories, many of which are focused on staffing issues tied to business pressures,” she said. “We’re hearing about burnout and anxiety tied to inadequate staffing levels and pressures. They’re multi-tasking, working too fast, missing breaks and too often, working alone.”
According to Solven, pharmacists said they’re spending less time on patient consultations and are worried about making mistakes.
And, she said, even with directions, and ethical practices in place to prevent working conditions that could pose a threat to public safety are in place, the conditions persist.
“When business objectives are prioritized in a health-care setting – including minimizing labour costs and maximizing prescription and clinical service volume – there is a significant risk that patient care and public protection are compromised,” Solven said.
“Pharmacists enter the profession because they want to help others, not meet business targets,” she said.
Pharmacists are 'critical partners': Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health told Glacier Media in a statement that pharmacies are critical partners in caring for people throughout the province.
"The delivery of safe and effective patient care, as well as the mental health and well-being of our health-care professionals, are very important,” the statement said.
The ministry said it recognizes the college’s concerns and is committed to working with the college and stakeholder groups to address these issues.
“We aim to ensure professional services supported by public funds are provided in a safe manner, with the goal of improving health outcomes for B.C. residents who require them,” the statement said.
The ministry said it launched a health human resources strategy in 2022 to optimize the health system, expand training and further improve recruitment and retention.
“A key focus of the strategy is supporting the pharmacy resource pool and driving innovation in pharmacy practice to ensure we can retain, redesign, recruit and train these critical health-care resources.”
Glacier Media reached out to the B.C. Pharmacy Association, which represents the professional group and businesses, but received no response.
