The UCP government said pharmacies in hospitals, cancer centres and other health facilities will be upgraded to improve the safety of patients and staff..Through Budget 2023, if passed, the UCP government will spend $54 million over three years to renovate and upgrade 33 pharmacies at 20 sites in 11 communities across the province..“The Alberta government is committed to making sure all patients and staff interacting with hospital pharmacies feel safe," Alberta Minister of Health Jason Copping said..Communities that will have pharmacies renovated and upgraded include Bonnyville, Calgary, Camrose, Canmore, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and St. Albert..The upgrades will provide additional safety features, enabling the pharmacies to comply with new and enhanced national standards for compounding medications..These upgrades will enable pharmacies in health facilities to comply with:.New standards for compounding medications issued by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of Non-Hazardous and Hazardous Sterile Preparations)Accreditation Canada standards.The infrastructure changes include:.Heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades such as air handlers, heat exchangers, and exhaust fans that allow for minimum filtration requirements and maintain a minimum number of air exchanges per areaParticle contamination control through appropriate cleanroom materialsPublicly-accessible areas and cleanroom separation to minimize contaminationRooms that can accommodate equipment and exhaust systems to filter the air (for hazardous compounding)All Canadian provinces have adopted these standards or are in the process of adopting them."The enhanced standards better protect patients, and the renovations and facility upgrades will help our hospitals and health care centres, which are so important to helping Albertans in their time of greatest need, meet the highest standards for safety and quality," Copping said.
The UCP government said pharmacies in hospitals, cancer centres and other health facilities will be upgraded to improve the safety of patients and staff..Through Budget 2023, if passed, the UCP government will spend $54 million over three years to renovate and upgrade 33 pharmacies at 20 sites in 11 communities across the province..“The Alberta government is committed to making sure all patients and staff interacting with hospital pharmacies feel safe," Alberta Minister of Health Jason Copping said..Communities that will have pharmacies renovated and upgraded include Bonnyville, Calgary, Camrose, Canmore, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and St. Albert..The upgrades will provide additional safety features, enabling the pharmacies to comply with new and enhanced national standards for compounding medications..These upgrades will enable pharmacies in health facilities to comply with:.New standards for compounding medications issued by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding of Non-Hazardous and Hazardous Sterile Preparations)Accreditation Canada standards.The infrastructure changes include:.Heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades such as air handlers, heat exchangers, and exhaust fans that allow for minimum filtration requirements and maintain a minimum number of air exchanges per areaParticle contamination control through appropriate cleanroom materialsPublicly-accessible areas and cleanroom separation to minimize contaminationRooms that can accommodate equipment and exhaust systems to filter the air (for hazardous compounding)All Canadian provinces have adopted these standards or are in the process of adopting them."The enhanced standards better protect patients, and the renovations and facility upgrades will help our hospitals and health care centres, which are so important to helping Albertans in their time of greatest need, meet the highest standards for safety and quality," Copping said.
