Bringing the world of pharmacy together: CPhA’s new Strategic Plan 2021-2023

In March CPhA launched a refreshed logo and identity, signalling the start of a new chapter that aims to bring the world of pharmacy together. As we settle into summer, I wanted to give you a preview of CPhA’s updated strategic plan, which is focused on meeting the evolving needs of pharmacists and the profession now and into the future.

Armed with a new mission and vision, CPhA is putting pharmacists and the practice of pharmacy at the core of everything we do to ensure that pharmacists are recognized for their essential role in health care. Our priorities reflect input from the profession, gathered from a survey we conducted in March, resulting in a focused strategic plan that will guide our efforts over the next 3 years. We’ve been deliberate in our goals and believe they will make us a bolder association prepared to guide the profession for years to come.

Key to our success is positioning CPhA as an innovative, progressive, pharmacist-focused organization, fostering the skills and technology that we need to remain relevant. We believe that in order to truly represent the profession, our leadership and our board need to reflect the diverse make up of the pharmacy community. It was also clear from our survey that pharmacists want CPhA to be a strong national voice to bring pharmacists top of mind with key stakeholders and decision makers and to advocate on their behalf. Internally, we are creating a culture and environment that allows us to attract and retain a high-performing, diverse and empowered workforce.

Continued efforts to ensure pharmacists in every corner of the country are able to practise to full scope are critical to supporting a vibrant profession and healthy population and will help address inequities in access to medications and pharmacist-led health services. Part of this important work will include identifying and leveraging market and technology disruptors to help pharmacists take advantage of opportunities to enhance the care they provide to their patients.

We are confident in the quality and value of the innovative, world-class products and services we provide. The evolution of the profession and the increasing value pharmacists bring to health care means that they need additional tools to increase their impact and efficiency. Over the coming years, CPhA will be investing in new solution-driven tools, products and insights that pharmacists can use to amplify their value at the point of care. These solutions also contribute to our organizational sustainability, helping us invest in our continued success as a leading voice for the profession and participation in discussions that will shape health care in Canada in a way that truly values our role.

Enhancing engagement with the pharmacy community is a key priority for me during my term as chair. We have heard loudly from you that CPhA needs to be relevant to pharmacists and to the entire pharmacy community. COVID-19 has shown us the importance of a national association that embodies what it means to be a pharmacist and that works collaboratively with partners to advance the practice of pharmacy and the well-being of pharmacists. This new strategic plan is our commitment to supporting the profession through whatever challenges lie ahead.

To share your thoughts or feedback, please email us at members@pharmacists.ca .