Lock and leave

If a licensed pharmacy is located where it does not occupy all of the premises, the licensee must advise the registrar that the pharmacy is operating as a lock and leave pharmacy. The licensee must complete the shared premises form and submit it to pharmacy@abpharmacy.ca. You may be asked for a floor plan or detailed sketch showing the perimeter of the area being secured and the type of barriers being used. Note, any changes to the physical facilities, proposed use of space, or layout of a licensed pharmacy are considered renovations and require advanced notice and approval by the registrar prior to implementing these changes.     

The licensee of a pharmacy operating as a lock and leave pharmacy must ensure that when the pharmacy is closed

• the dispensary and all drugs (including Schedule 3) are locked up to prevent unauthorized access;
• no drugs are dispensed, provided for sale, or sold from the pharmacy; and
• patient records are secure from unauthorized access.

The dispensary, scheduled drugs (including Schedule 3), and patient records must be secured from unauthorized personnel and locked appropriately. A pharmacy operating as a lock and leave must have

• a secure lockable barrier that effectively prevents access to the dispensary, scheduled drugs (including Schedule 3), and patient records when the pharmacy is closed (unauthorized personnel should not easily be able to access the dispensary either over, under, or through the secure lockable barrier);
• adequate key-control policies; and
• its own security system separate from the other business to monitor and detect any unauthorized entry when the pharmacy is closed.

If a prescription department shares the premises with another health professional or business, then the prescription department must operate as a lock and leave pharmacy to prevent unauthorized access, even if both businesses intend to operate for the same hours. Circumstances may require the adjoining business to open/operate when the pharmacy is closed and accordingly, the licensee must ensure that the dispensary and all drugs and records are locked up to prevent unauthorized access.

If the prescription department is part of a larger business enterprise or sharing the premises with another health professional or business, the pharmacy and the adjoining business must be able to operate independently of one another. A licensee must ensure that the prescription department is clearly differentiated from public areas or adjoining businesses by physical delineation so that patients can recognize

• when they have entered the licensed pharmacy, and
• that an adjoining business (e.g., a medical clinic) is separate from the pharmacy.

Signage used to differentiate the prescription department from adjoining businesses and/or public areas must be clear to the public and clearly visible from the patient services area. The pharmacy and the adjoining business must not engage in any practice or enter into any arrangement that unduly interferes with independent patient choice.

ACP will notify you if we have any questions regarding your notification. You may be required to renovate the pharmacy to ensure adequate separation and security of the pharmacy.