Jenny Cherian
Pharmacist assessing a patient saves you and the system time and energy.
Emma wakes up with the tingle of a cold sore on her lip. Like many Canadians, she has had a cold sore before and is well aware of her symptoms. She calls her family doctor to make an appointment, which is scheduled for two days later. It is pretty frustrating for Emma as she must wait two days before being assessed and receiving a prescription for her cold sore.
Now the wait is over for Emma and many other Ontarians. The Ontario government recently expanded the scope of practice for Pharmacists, allowing pharmacists to now assess and prescribe medications for select minor ailments.
Minor ailments are common short-term conditions that can be managed with minimal treatment and where lab results are not usually required.
This change will improve access for Ontarians to get assessed for the 13 minor ailment conditions listed below.
The 13 minor ailments Ontario Pharmacists have the authority to prescribe include:
- hay fever
- oral thrush
- pink eye
- dermatitis
- menstrual cramps
- acid reflux
- hemorrhoids
- cold sores
- impetigo
- insect bites and hives
- tick bites
- sprains and strains
- urinary tract infections
Just like visiting your family physician, you can go to your local pharmacy or even make an appointment for a virtual consultation. The assessment is free for anybody with an Ontario health card. A pharmacist will ask questions about your signs and symptoms during the assessment to confirm your condition and treatment options. Based on the assessment and evaluation, the pharmacist can prescribe a prescription or over-the-counter medication or refer you to a physician if required.
In addition to prescribing for minor ailments, Pharmacists can also prescribe Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for Covid-19, for eligible patients. They can also renew or extend your prescriptions. Check with your local pharmacy for these and more.
Pharmacists are highly trained and qualified to provide these services; they are medication experts. Pharmacists in other provinces have had the authority to prescribe for select minor ailments for over a decade. As our healthcare systems continue to grapple with labour shortages and staffing issues, experts argue pharmacists are an underutilized resource that could play a much more significant role in patient care. Pharmacist prescribing for minor ailments will also free up physicians’ time to focus and provide more complex patient care when needed.
“Expanding the ability of pharmacists to provide care is one more way we’re putting you, the patient, at the centre of our health care system, making it more convenient to access health care close to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “I encourage people to check with their local pharmacy to see if they are offering this quick and easy access to treatment for some of the most common ailments.”
Pharmacist-led minor ailments clinics are now a reality in Ontario, and all Ontarians are encouraged to utilize these services for timely access to the care they need.
