title: An explanatory policy analysis of legislative change permitting pharmacists in Alberta, Canada, to prescribe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper provides an explanatory policy analysis of the new legislation which permits pharmacist prescribing in Alberta, Canada: the Pharmacists Profession Regulations (2006) to the Health Professions Act (1999). Its purpose is to provide useful insights for pharmacy regulatory bodies in other jurisdictions internationally that are in a position to pursue similar opportunities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search for government and regulatory body documents related to Alberta healthcare system and pharmacist prescribing was performed. Correspondence was initiated with authors and regulators to clarify or obtain current data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Research to support policy change recommendations and communication among healthcare professionals, regulators and other stakeholders is essential for developing and implementing legislative change regarding health professionals' scopes of practice at a time when legislative change is possible. Stakeholder barriers to implementation need to be identified early to provide opportunity to address and resolve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collaboration between healthcare professionals, regulators and other stakeholders is essential to developing a prescribing model that can be successfully implemented when there is the opportunity for legislative change related to health professionals' scope of practice.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto and Pharmacy Department, Saint Vincent Hospital of Bruyere Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada. nmacleodglover@bruyere.org
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: MacLeod-Glover
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D007885:Legislation, Pharmacy; D010595:Pharmacists; D011050:Policy Making