OCHU

Pharmacy Technicians Petition

Hospital Technicians should be exempt from having to go through the regulation process since they are already practicing the proposed standard of practice set up by OCP. We should also be able to keep our professional title of Pharmacy technician. We have earned the technician title, therefore why should our title be stripped?
Please pass it on to any hospital technicians you know.
Hopefully something will be done regarding this issue.
We the undersigned, are voicing our concern regarding the new bill that will make the pharmacy technician name a protected title.
The retraction of Pharmacy Technician title from a big group of health care professionals and hence nullifying their job aspirations and contributions to the practice of Pharmacy in Ontario is not acceptable.
The majority of the Pharmacy Technicians have a valid College diploma from recognized institutions in Ontario. The new requirements do not add anything else to the job description or responsibilities as a hospital pharmacy technician.
There are questions raised as to the real purpose of the new registration program, which once completed will require all to pay OCP a hefty fee, with no added benefits to the pharmacy technician practice. The college has not distinguished the vast difference in practice and knowledge between community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy.
We entreat all concerned to give a thorough investigation into these concerns.
Thank you ... Click here to sign the petition.

September 2010 Pharmacy Committee Report

I have recently had the honour of representing OCHU in North Bay. A special meeting on
April 29, 2010, for the Pharmacy Technician was held at the office of CUPE Local 139
to discuss the new Regulated changes. Many important issues were raised by the members.
My report from North Bay was sent out on July 30,2010

I feel it would be very important to have special meetings at all locals with Pharmacy staff
to let them know that we are dealing with the changes that are just around the corner and
what we are doing to support them.

I was in attendance at Local 1065’s Step 2 Grievance Meeting. The local directed their
questions on what would happen if the staff did not comply? Would the Hospital have
two separate classifications?

Once the local was done I asked to speak on behalf of the OCHU Pharmacy Committee.
I have been in contact with Ethan Pozkanzer (Salk Goldblatt and Mitchell) and prepared
a list of questions. I explained that it was our position that the Hospital pay for
all costs related to the Regulated Pharmacy Technician.

After the meeting the technicians present at the meeting wanted to know why the
Union was giving the Hospital too much of an out to not have to pay for the educational requirements?

This is why I believe that it will be very important to meet with the locals to discuss the
grievance and what should be the questions to ask. We want to make sure that the
grievance takes the right direction for ALL the Pharmacy Staff of the locals. We
need to ask the right questions. We do not want to give the Hospitals an easy out.
We will be looking for a grievance that we can use as the lead grievance.

Please contact me to make arrangements to attend a meeting at your local.

Thank you for all your support.

In solidarity,

Denise Ann Warner
Pharmacy Committee Chair
dwarner@cogeco.ca

July 7 2010

Dear OCHU affiliated locals
RE: registered pharmacy technicians

Attached is general information regarding the classification of Pharmacy Technicians. Some of the hospitals is and will be transitioning to a Registered Pharmacy Technician model and many come with questions and concerns that will need to be answered.

We hope the information provided below will be very useful for those locals that have Pharmacy Technicians in their bargaining unit. Sister Denise Warner is the chair of the Pharmacy Technicians Committee and has provided a series of frequently asked questions and suggested wording to be filed by all locals.

Registered Pharmacy Technician If your Hospital is transitioning to a Registered Pharmacy Technician (RPht) model there are many questions that will need to be answered.

Through Labour Management meetings, Department meetings, Local Negotiations and the grievance procedure you will need to find out:

What is the plan for your Hospital?
Has the Hospital consulted with the Unions to discuss the plan?
Will they have 2 separate classifications? i.e. Registered Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Assistants
When will this take effect?
Will there be a change in responsibilities? If yes, what will the changes be?
What if you chose not to participate in the RPht program?
How will reimbursement be made?
Ethan Poskanzer from Sack Goldblatt Mitchell has been recommended that everyone begin the process towards registration.
A grievance should be filed by all locals with the following wording:
The Union grieves on its own behalf, and on behalf of all members of the bargaining unit, the employer's implementation of the registered Pharmacy Technician program.
In particular the Union grieves the hospital's imposition of a requirement that as a condition of being employed as pharmacy technician effective (insert date) that all employees, including employees presently performing Pharmacy Technician functions, be accredited and registered as Pharmacy Technicians, as being contrary to articles 9.05, 9.08 9.09 ( insert number for just cause provision) and any other relevant provision of the collective agreement.
In addition the Union grieves the employer's policy in relation to reimbursement for costs of being qualified as a pharmacy technician and in particular the failure of the employer to pay for all costs associated with such qualification, including examination costs, full tuition, costs of travel and to provide paid leaves of absence or time off with pay to complete such courses, as contrary to articles 9.14, 12.08, 20.02 and any other relevant article of the collective agreement.
The Union requests that the Employer revise its policies to comply with the collective agreement, an order declaring the employer has violated the collective agreement and requiring the employer cease and desist from such violations, an order requiring the employer to fully compensate all affected employees with interest and any other appropriate order.
This grievance will cover Job Posting, Notice of Redeployment Committee, Layoff and Recall, Technological Change, Education Leave and Assignment of Duties from Another Classification.
General Information
Step 1
For Individuals Currently In the Profession
Completion of the OCP certification exam or PEBC evaluation exam.
Step 2
For Individuals Currently In the Profession
Completion of the approved Bridging Education Program
Step 3
For All Individuals Pursuing Registration
Completion of the PEBC qualifying examination (written and practical components)
Step 4
For All Individuals Pursuing Registration
Completion of the OCP jurisprudence examination
Step 5
For All Individuals Pursuing Registration
Completion of the Registration process with OCP
January 1, 2012 – This is the deadline for completion of step 1 (OCP certification exam OR PEBC evaluation exam).
• Step 1 must be completed to enter into the bridging program
• The evaluating exam is only offered twice a year.
• This means that there are only three opportunities left to write this exam.
• The next exam is September 18, 2010 (Registration deadline is June 28, 2010)
January 1, 2015 – This is the College’s deadline for the completion of the bridging programs.
PEBC Pharmacy Technician Evaluating Examination
Pharmacy technicians who are currently in the profession (graduates of programs prior to, or without CCAPP accreditation [including programs which received a deferred accreditation status]; or on-the-job trained) must successfully complete the PEBC Evaluating Examination to be eligible to apply for the Qualifying Examination. All Canadian pharmacy technicians currently in the profession must pass the PEBC Pharmacy Technician Evaluating Examination by Dec 31, 2015 to be eligible to apply for the Qualifying Examination (Please note that the timelines may be earlier for an individual provincial regulatory authority). After this time, only Canadian graduates of a CCAPP accredited program will be eligible to apply for the Qualifying Examination.
4 Bridging Courses
Professional Practice for Pharmacy Technician Bridging
Course Code: HSCI 10136 CRN: 25110
Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technician Bridging
Course Code: HSCI 10137 CRN: 25059
Product Preparation Pharmacy Technician Bridging
Course Code: HSCI 10139 CRN: 25069
Management of Drug Distribution Systems Pharmacy Technician
Course Code: HSCI 10140 CRN: 25113
PLUS
PEBC qualifying examination (written and practical components)
OCP Jurisprudence Exam for Pharmacy Technicians

If you have any questions contact me at dwarner@cogeco.ca

In solidarity,

Denise Warner
Chair, Pharmacy Technicians Committee