Ontario’s community pharmacists actively participated in discussions with the Ministry until the early fall of 2009. As pharmacists delivering front-line health care services to Ontarians, we believe that any workable solution must make sense for all stakeholders and be guided by the following principles:
- Solutions need to be focused on health services to Ontarians, first and foremost
- The government’s cost pressures need to be achieved
- A viable pharmacy sector in Ontario must be sustained
- Any agreed new framework would need to include a workable transition period.
Unfortunately the Ontario Government has left Ontario Pharmacists in limbo. In August 2009 Pharmacy presented a proposal on how to modernize the pharmacy funding and services model that would meet the needs of patients, community pharmacies and the government-including lowering drug costs. Five months later the government has not responded to the pharmacy proposal, nor has it presented its own plan to pharmacy. It has however cancelled the last 5 scheduled meetings between the ministry and pharmacy representatives.
The government claims this is an open door policy. It's not. It's not negotiating or collaborating and it's not the way to find real health care solutions for Ontarians.
If you are concerned about your pharmacy services please visit the pharmacy to fill out a postcard to send to Premier McGuinty or use the following template to write your own letter.
For more information visit
ontario.communitypharmacies.ca
or talk to any pharmacy staff member.



