It looks like the Shepherd’s Care Foundation (SCF) has had a change of heart.
The non-profit organization is still working towards transitioning to a single source pharmacy provider in its Barrhead facility, but it is now in the process of considering a local pharmacy to be that provider.
In the April 5 and 12 issues of the Barrhead Leader told the story of how SCF’s decision to change their pharmacy of choice to a single provider, Pharmacare Pharmacy based in Edmonton.
However, after SCF hosted two different informational sessions with the residents and their families in Shepherd’s Care Barrhead they have decided to put that decision on hold, at least in Barrhead. SCF’s pharmacy provider for its Edmonton facilities will still be Pharmacare Pharmacy.
John Pray, president and CEO of SCF, said in an open letter to residents, families and staff of Shepherd’s Care Barrhead (an advance copy given to the Leader), they have decided to give local pharmacies an opportunity to be the single provider in Barrhead.
“While we expected there would be opposition to this change, frankly the strong advocacy for a local pharmacy provider was evident,” he said through the letter. “We heard you, and as a result I have instructed our managers to pause the transition and determine if one of the excellent local pharmacies can meet our requirements for a sole-source provider, keeping in mind our residents’ needs, emerging regulatory standards and clinical best practices for administering medications in a care centre.”
In the coming days SCF managers will be meeting with the local pharmacies exchanging information and accepting their proposals to be the sole provider at Sherpherd’s Care Barrhead.
In closing, I wish to be clear that it is our privilege and honour to be part of the community and to serve seniors in the Barrhead region,” Pray said. “We sincerely apologize for the anxiety this change has caused, and for that I wish to say I am sorry.”
A decision on which pharmacy will become Shepherd’s Care Barrhead’s sole provider is expected to take about four weeks.
