About

Healthy Albertans through excellence in pharmacy practice.

The Alberta College of Pharmacy governs pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacies in Alberta to serve, support, and protect the public’s health and well-being.

The Alberta College of Pharmacy values

• Integrity – we are honest and demonstrate professional conduct and ethical decision-making.
• Respect – we invite diverse perspectives and seek to understand.
• Transparency – we have open and clear processes and engagement.
• Accountability – we accept responsibility for our decisions and actions.

1. Quality care

ACP’s primary responsibility is to ensure safe, effective, and responsible pharmacy care for Albertans. We do this by setting, guiding, and monitoring expectations for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. To this end, ACP incorporates and promotes six dimensions of quality identified in the Health Quality Matrix adopted by the Health Quality Council of Alberta:

• Acceptability – Health services are respectful and responsive to user needs, preferences, and expectations.
• Accessibility – Health services are obtained in the most suitable setting in a reasonable time and distance.
• Appropriateness – Health services are relevant to user needs and are based on accepted or evidence-based practice.
• Effectiveness – Health services are provided based on scientific knowledge to achieve desired outcomes.
• Efficiency – Resources are optimally used in achieving desired outcomes.
• Safety – Mitigate risks to avoid unintended or harmful results.

2. Public and interested party confidence

The health of Albertans is the heart of ACP’s business. ACP’s mission and vision focus on positively impacting the health of individuals through excellence in pharmacy practice. However, as a single entity within Alberta’s broader health system, interdependencies amongst partners and stakeholders are critical to success.

The public and ACP’s partners and interested parties must have confidence in ACP and its business practices. Therefore, ACP considers the needs and priorities of its partners and interested parties and pursues alignment to create opportunities and benefits that are not achievable by any one organization.

3. Effective organization

ACP strives to be a high performing, fiscally responsible organization. Effective governance and strong leadership are foundational to ACP’s success. Council’s leadership determines the culture and priorities of ACP.

The Council recognizes the value of a strong administrative team and the importance of providing them the direction, resources, and environment necessary to conduct the college’s business effectively.

ACP’s three critical success factors are further defined by seven strategic objectives.

Quality care

1. Competent and responsible practitioners – ACP will assess pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at entry to practice and throughout their careers to ensure they are competent to perform their authorized roles. Pharmacy practitioners will conduct themselves professionally and ethically, and take personal responsibility for their decisions and actions.

2. Safe and effective practice environments and systems – Employers and pharmacy owners will provide practice environments that enable practitioners to use their full scope of practice. Systems will optimize work flow and performance, ensuring the safety of pharmacy practitioners and the individuals they serve. Practice environments will respect individuals’ confidentiality and the privacy of their personal information.

3. Accessible care – Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will implement their full scope of practice. Individuals will be enabled to make informed decisions about accessing the level of care that they need when they need it. Individuals will experience appropriate and timely pharmacy care. Care will focus on the overall health and health goals of each individual, promoting wellness, disease prevention, and treatment as appropriate.

Effective organization

4. Effective governance and strong leadership – Informed and engaged pharmacy practitioners will pursue leadership opportunities. Council will establish clear governance policies and will monitor these regularly for compliance. ACP’s sustainability will be ensured through fiscal responsibility by Council and its administration.

5. Workplace of choice – ACP Council will empower its administrative team through the registrar, providing clear direction, the necessary resources, and the appropriate environment to conduct college business effectively. The college will invest in technologies and information systems to accommodate timely and evidence-informed decisions. Effective policies and efficient processes will be in place to support accountability and the best use of resources. Employees will be highly satisfied in their roles with ACP.

Public and interested party confidence

6. Public and interested party awareness – The public and ACP’s partners and interested parties will understand the role of ACP and recognize its value. Everyone will understand what to expect of pharmacy practitioners.

7. Credibility and trusting relationships – ACP will be viewed as consistent, knowledgeable, and objective in its decisions and business practices. ACP will be sought out as a valued partner and resource. Complaints received by ACP will be resolved in a timely, thorough, and fair way.