Latest News and Announcements
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- Written by Bal Dhillon
- Category: Latest
The Pharmacy Technician Society of British Columbia is proud to bring you the 15th annual BC Pharmacy Technician Conference, featuring dynamic speakers from diverse practice backgrounds with sessions relevant to technicians in all practice settings. Join us on our virtual platform on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 for educational sessions and networking with your colleagues from across the country!
The event starts on Saturday with a presentation from the College of Pharmacists of BC providing the latest news about BC pharmacy personnel; there will be clinical topics, COVID and leadership topics. This will be a full day of learning ending with an exciting keynote presentation by motivational speaker Robert Hawke.
Learning objectives of this conference is to:
- provide educational programming to delegates to advance clinical pharmacy practice
- increase knowledge of pharmacy technicians and assistants from all areas of practice in order to enhance the quality of pharmaceutical care provided to patients.
- Stay informed on with latest pharmaceutical trends.
View the program by clicking on the link below.
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- Written by Bal Dhillon
- Category: Latest
PTSBC is seeking nominations for the 2019/2020 PTSBC Board Members.
You can play an important role in these elections by identifying and nominating the best possible candidates or deciding to run yourself.
Board members have a significant role and responsibility. It is important to remember that while an election process is used to establish Board membership, the mandates of the Society are to promote education and communication; enhance and strengthen leadership capabilities; promote professionalism; act as a valuable resource for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants in BC.
Board members bring diverse points of view to the table and work as a team to make sound decisions in the society’s interest.
Nominations for the upcoming Board elections must be submitted using the online form by Friday, October 4th, 2019 AT 5:00 PM.
Nominees are to include a brief biography and upload a photo.
Full active pharmacy technicians are eligible to run in the Board elections.
Elected Board members will be announced at the conference AGM
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- Written by Bal Dhillon
- Category: Latest
BC Hospital Pharmacy Technicians are in the process of submitting their appliation to the Labour Relations Board in order to transfer bargaining unions. The objective for this initiative is:
- to advance the Pharmacy Technician profession
- to align Pharmacy Technicians with other similar professionals
- to provide Pharmacy Technicians with more influence at the collective bargaining table
- for better wages that will reflect the scope & complexity of their duties
Update:
The application has been finalized and submitted to the LRB by the legal team! Next step is for the labour board to review the appliation and any responses before making a decision (hopefully without the need for a hearing!).
The application itself is a great read and is the result of all the hard work Eric Sletmoen has done on his free time! It represents the profession very well, and it also represents all of your hard-earned donations coming to fruition - you folks should be proud of it, too!
It is not recommended to post the entire application publicly at this time, an excerpt from the conclusion is being shared below. ~~~
(any comments are asked to be posted at: Bargaining Unit Upgrade | Chuffed | Non-profit charity and social enterprise fundraising versus social media in an effort to keep proceedings professional. Any media requests can be directed to Eric Sletmoen through the "Contact" button on the Chuffed page (link above).
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"CONCLUSION
42. In applying the relevant criteria established in the Paramedical Inquiry, supra, for transferring certain professionals to the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Unit, it is our position that the RPhTs, and specifically the hospital RPhTs, not only meet but also have exceeded each of those criteria. The enhanced training and educational requirements, mandatory and ongoing registration and certification with the College, mandatory continuation education, as well as the enhanced knowledge and independence of their judgment and actions respecting their duties and responsibilities, have significantly evolved over the last 20 years and as a result, are totally consistent with a move from the Facilities Subsector Bargaining Unit to the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Unit.
43. It is further our submission, that based on the significance evidence and material that we have presented, the role of the hospital RPhT clearly falls well within the “patient care” end of the continuum and, is a clear example of “... how their scientific knowledge is exercised in relation to the delivery of health care to patients”.
44. It is also our submission that on the basis of the substantial information that we have submitted, the hospital RPhTs share a clear and distinct community of interest with other healthcare professionals with whom they work closely, and who are currently included in the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Unit most notably pharmacists. In addition, their collective bargaining aspirations would best be met through representation by the HSA rather than their current representation by the HEU."
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Thank you all once again for your generous donations, especially during a global pandemic. We hope you're all doing your parts and staying safe out there - and remembering to share this campaign and provide monetary support! More updates will be provided as soon as we hear back about our submission, so stay tuned.
** SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO BURNABY HOSPITAL PHARMACY STAFF who are at the top of the leaderbpard, having contributed more than any other group or single donar so far!**
(FYI - To see the leaderboard, scroll to the bottom of the fundraiser page.
Absolutely incredible work, BH Techs! You make us all proud. Thank you so much for fundraising so well for the cause!
Background:
To transfer bargaining units, members of a profession must make an application to the Labour Board of Canada. Each bargaining unit has its own set of eligibility criteria. The criteria to belong in PPBU are as follows:
Paramedical Professional Employees:
- are engaged in the health care field in a position involving technical proficiency and scientific knowledge;
- hold a degree, diploma or other form of certification from a post-secondary educational institution appropriate to their particular discipline;
- are members of a professional or quasi-professional organization dedicated to the advancement of their discipline;
- exercise considerable independence of judgement and action;
- perform an important role in either: (i) the diagnosis or treatment of patients, residents or clients, or (ii) health promotion, or (iii) the prevention of illness;
- can demonstrate that both their collective bargaining aspirations and their community of interest are best met through their inclusion in the paramedical professional bargaining unit.
BC Hospital Pharmacy Technicians meet all these criteria now!
Other professions have successfully transferred bargaining units in the past. Some of them have remained members of HEU, while others have been reassigned to HSA. This decision rests with the Labour Board of Canada, and they will decide which association is a better fit for Hospital Pharmacy Technicians after the application has been processed. For more information, please refer to the Labour Board's website.
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- Written by Bal Dhillon
- Category: Latest
The third Tuesday in October is National Pharmacy Technician Day. It is a day to make an extra effort to thank technicians for their invaluable support and contributions throughout the year!
PTSBC is celebrating National Pharmacy Technician Day, October 19th, 2021 by distributing buttons to those interested.
Click here to submit your button request
Be sure to proudly wear your button.
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- Written by Bal Dhillon
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PTSBC would like to highlight the work by pharmacy departments or individuals. What extraordinary efforts of groups / individuals are you displaying to help the community at large inside or outside of the workplace setting? How are you giving back to the community? Please go to our facebook page and post your highlights.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/220193811335052/