PAS to partner with the College for Injection Training Funding Support for Pharmacists

Dear Saskatchewan Pharmacists and Pharmacy Owners/Managers:

As you are aware, SCP has led in the development and implementation of legislation that is pending to enable pharmacists to provide drugs by injection (amongst other important initiatives).  This scope change for pharmacists is expected to pass during the current spring session of the legislature.  As a result, the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan through its Continuing Professional Development for Pharmacists Program (CPDP) has been working hard to ensure that training has been developed, and have communicated to pharmacists the availability of training spots beginning in April 2015.  Please see their communication on this at http://www.usask.ca/pharmacy-nutrition/documents/cpdp/Immunization%20and%20Injection%20Training%20Registration%20Form.pdf.

PAS is excited to be able to communicate to you that, in partnership with the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the U of S, the costs of the injection training for all practicing pharmacists (475 + gst per pharmacist) will be fully covered by a training grant from PAS to the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition for $350,000.  This training support is being put in place to remove any financial barriers related to the required training for pharmacists to offer injections as part of the 2015 flu vaccination season.  A majority of this available funding has been re-purposed from other initiatives that have been completed, and the PAS Board directed us to utilize these remaining funds to support pharmacists being trained for providing injections.  It is also our contribution to the goal of ensuring as many pharmacists as possible are trained to provide injections for the 2015-16 flu season.

In order to access the full one-time funding ($475 + gst) for injections training, you must register and complete the required training through CPDP (or another accredited provider) by September 30th, 2015. We encourage you to register early, as the spaces in September may be limited.  After that time, a reduced training subsidy will be provided for a limited time period, and details on that will be communicated by the end of May.    If you register with CPDP for training, nothing further is required for you to access the training funding.  However, if you or your employer has utilized another accredited training program, then your employer will need to contact PAS to access the funding. 

NOTE:  For those individuals who have already registered and paid a portion of the training costs, PAS and CPDP will be working together to ensure you receive a refund directly from PAS.

PAS and CPDP are currently working on ensuring that students who are graduating in June 2015 and who will  be becoming licensed in SK will have access to the full training subsidy. Such individuals should register with CPDP in June after Convocation and applying for licensure with SCP, to complete the online modules over the summer, prior to taking the live training in September.

If you have any questions about this initiative, please feel free to contact PAS at (306) 359-7277 or via email atinfo@skpharmacists.ca.  For information on registering for the training, please contact CPDP at cpdp@usask.ca  or via phone at (306) 966-6350.