Skip to content

Local pharmacies deserve a chance to bid

For the last two weeks we’ve been covering the story about how the Shepherd’s Care Foundation (SCF) in Edmonton decided to change the way it handles its pharmacy services in all of its supportive living homes.

For the last two weeks we’ve been covering the story about how the Shepherd’s Care Foundation (SCF) in Edmonton decided to change the way it handles its pharmacy services in all of its supportive living homes.

Starting April 21, Pharmacare Pharmacy in Edmonton will be the pharmacy of choice for all SCF’s six supportive living facilities, the bulk of which are in the capital region.

Instead of having different pharmacies provide medication services in each of its facilities, SCF is in the process of making the transition of having one pharmacy be the main provider, or pharmacy of choice, for all of their facilities.

The rationale seems to make sense. John Pray, CEO and president of SCF, said seniors health care is growing more complex and having multiple pharmacies in one facility just adds to the complexity.

Rita Lyster, of Rita’s Apothecary &Home Healthcare Ltd., also believes it is a good idea, saying having one pharmacy provider in a facility is less confusing, therefore resulting in less drug errors and is ultimately in the best interest of residents.

That being said, she is against SCF’s decision because she believes it would be in Shepherd’s Care resident’s best interest to served by a Barrhead pharmacy.

One of Lyster’s concerns is that patient care may be compromised and may end up taxing other areas of the health system, as a result of Pharmacare Pharmacy’s distance from Barrhead. She wondered what would happen to a Shepherd’s Care resident who needed a timely prescription, late in the day or after normal pharmacy hours. Lyster suggested a person might be forced to go to the emergency room to get the prescription, thus burdening other areas of the healthcare system.

But Lyster said, she had even a bigger philosophical objection with the fact that no Barrhead pharmacy was allowed to bid for the job.

Pray said they did not put out a Request For Proposal (RFP) for any of its facilities and selected Pharmacare because of their past dealings with the company.

Certainly a valid reason. However, one has to question if they shouldn’t reconsider their decision.

Barrhead has a number of qualified pharmacies and pharmacists and they should have been given at least the opportunity to make a pitch for the job. Currently Barrhead is constructing a new aquatic centre for the new pool and just like Barrhead’s pharmacies, there are many qualified building companies and other suppliers. How would they and Barrhead area residents have felt if Clarke Builders just decided to choose companies they were comfortable with, to the exclusion of not allowing local companies to even bid?

Hopefully SCF reconsiders and gives Barrhead pharmacies a chance.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks