Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy Effective January 15, 2008 Apprved by the Bard f Directrs n January 15, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS Sectin I Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy 1
NOVA SCOTIA PRESCRIPTION MONITORING PROGRAM SECTION I STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS POLICY 1. Plicy Objective The purpse f this Plicy is t establish minimum standards fr hw the Bard and the Prgram will cmmunicate penly abut ur plans, perfrmance, values and services t its stakehlders. 2. Plicy Statement The develpment and maintenance f strng relatinships and effective tw-way cmmunicatin with ur stakehlders are essential t the achievement f the Prgram s bjects. A well-defined structure and systematic prcesses will prvide an imprtant fundatin fr these strng relatinships and effective tw-way cmmunicatin with ur stakehlders. 2.1 Respnsibilities The Administratr will review these cmmunicatins plicies at least nce per year and any recmmended changes will be brught t the Bard fr apprval prir t implementatin. The Administratr will als develp an annual stakehlder relatins and cmmunicatins plan as part f the annual business plan fr the Prgram. The Bard will cnfirm r amend these cmmunicatins plicies at least nce per year. The Bard will review and apprve the annual stakehlder relatins and cmmunicatins plan as part f its cnsideratin and apprval f the annual business plan fr the Prgram. 2.2 Spkespersns The Bard Chair is the principal spkespersn fr the Bard. The Administratr is the principal spkespersn fr the administratin f the Prgram. If a directr is cntacted fr cmments n the Bard r the Prgram r t represent it, he r she will infrm the Bard Chair befre taking actin. Directrs will nly be invlved in external cmmunicatins with the apprval f the Bard Chair. 2.3 Annual Reprt The Bard will submit t the Minister an annual reprt n the activities f the Bard and the Minister will table that reprt befre the Assembly. As required under the Act, the annual reprt will set ut the reasns why a drug has been added t r remved frm the Prgram. PMP Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy Apprved January 15, 2008 1
2.4 Other Reprts The Bard will, in the frm and with the cntent required by the Minister, prvide t the Minister (a) thrugh the Administratr, annual financial statements; and (b) such ther reprts as are required by the Minister. 2.5 Distributin f Reprts Cpies f annual reprts and annual financial statements will be distributed t a Bard-apprved distributin list and t any stakehlder upn request. Annual reprts and financial statements will be distributed t stakehlders, the public and the media free f charge. 2.6 Regular Stakehlder Cnsultatins On an annual basis, the Bard will develp a plan t hld meetings with significant stakehlder representatives. These may be dne in cnjunctin with regularly scheduled Bard meetings. The purpse f the stakehlder cnsultatins is t understand the views and cncerns f stakehlders relating t the bjects f the Prgram and t seek the input n hw the Prgram can be strengthened in the future. A related purpse is t respnd t any questins that the stakehlders may have abut the Prgram. 2.7 Gvernment Relatins The Bard will strive t prmte effective tw-way cmmunicatin between itself and Gvernment, thrugh the respnsible Minister. In additin t an annual meeting t review the Prgram s business plan, ther briefings per year will be arranged between the Minister, the Bard Chair and the Administratr t review the status f the Prgram, highlight trends f significance and t respnd t any questins the Minister may have. Thrugh the Bard Chair, nging infrmatin will be sught frm the Minister regarding public plicy pririties f relevance t the Prgram. 2.10 Stakehlder Enquiries Enquiries frm the Minister r ther senir gvernment fficials are generally received by the Bard Chair r the Administratr and will be dealt with by the Bard Chair r the Administratr, in accrdance with their rles as Spkespersns under Sectin 2.2 f this Plicy. Other enquiries frm stakehlders generally r the media will be directed t the Administratr wh will evaluate the request, respnd directly r thrugh a designate when apprpriate r gather the necessary backgrund infrmatin and direct the request t the Bard Chair. 2.11 Privacy Enquiries Enquiries frm individuals regarding any f their persnal infrmatin held by the Prgram r Bard will be dealt with in accrdance with the Bard s Privacy Plicy. PMP Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy Apprved January 15, 2008 2
2.12 Media Enquiries General enquiries frm the media will be directed t the Administratr wh will evaluate the request, respnd directly r gather the necessary backgrund infrmatin and direct the request t the Bard Chair, as apprpriate. Backgrund briefings and interviews are subject t prir apprval by the Bard Chair and will be develped by the Administratr. Interviews and backgrund briefings will be n the recrd. 2.13 Speeches and Presentatins Prir t accepting invitatins fr speeches and presentatins n behalf f the Prgram, directrs will btain the apprval f the Bard Chair. A standard frm presentatin will be develped by the Administratr t ensure cnsistency f messaging. 2.14 Web Site The Prgram s website will be develped as a means f public, media and stakehlder cmmunicatins. Only published material and infrmatin previusly apprved in accrdance with the Bard s website cntent standards (currently under develpment) will be psted t the website by the Administratr. Maintaining the timeliness, accuracy and currency f the website will be the respnsibility f the Administratr. 2.15 Rutine Reprting The Bard Chair and/r the Administratr, as apprpriate, will infrm the Bard f cmmunicatins and stakehlder and media relatins activities at regularly scheduled Bard meetings. 2.16 Alternates If the psitin f Bard Chair is vacant, the cmmunicatins respnsibilities f the Bard Chair will be fulfilled by the Vice-Chair r anther individual s authrized by the Bard. 3. Legislative Framewrk The Prescriptin Mnitring Act prvides that: Licensing authrities fr physicians and surgens, dentists and pharmacists be represented n the Bard (s. 7) The Administratr prvide infrmatin, prfessinal cnsultatin and assistance t licensing authrities, prescribers and pharmacists abut the prescribing and dispensing f mnitred drugs as requested by the licensing authrities (s. 12(2)(d) and (g)) The Administratr must mnitr the use f mnitred drugs by residents and reprt inapprpriate use t an apprpriate law enfrcement authrity, an apprpriate licensing authrity, r a pharmacist r prescriber (s. 12(2)(e)) PMP Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy Apprved January 15, 2008 3
The Administratr must educate prescribers and pharmacists abut apprpriate prescribing and dispensing f mnitred drugs (s. 12(2)(h)) The Administratr must respnd t inquiries frm the public with respect t the Prgram (s. 12(2)(i)) The Administratr must reprt t the Bard, the Minister and licensing authrities n new and emerging patterns fr mnitred drugs in all r part f the Prvince and ther jurisdictins as thse patterns becme knwn t the Administratr (s. 12(2)(j)) The Bard is required t submit an annual reprt and such ther reprts as required by the Minister (including annual financial statements, thrugh the Administratr) (s. 14) The Minister is required t table the Bard s annual reprt befre the Assembly (s. 14) Upn request f the Administratr, prescribers, pharmacists r any ther bdy r persn shall prvide t the Administratr any infrmatin, including medical recrds, the Administratr reasnably requires t achieve the bjects f the Prgram (s. 18) Ntwithstanding the Freedm f Infrmatin and Prtectin f Privacy Act, the Administratr may release (a) infrmatin with respect t mnitred drugs, (b) persnal infrmatin relating t a resident wh has a prescriptin fr mnitred drugs, t a prescriber, a pharmacists, a licensing authrity r ther bdy r persn as is reasnable t achieve the bjects f the Prgram (s. 20) Any data prvided t the Minister, the Gvernr in Cuncil r the public with respect t the Prgram shall be nn-nminal data (s. 22 and s. 2(j)) A resident may have access t the resident s wn persnal infrmatin with respect t the Prgram (s. 22(2)) The Administratr can initiate law enfrcement prceedings and can file a cmplaint with a licensing authrity, prviding the latter with all relevant infrmatin upn which the cmplaint is based (s. 23) The Gvernr in Cuncil may make regulatins relating t the sharing f infrmatin relating t the Prgram (s. 27 (j) and (k)) 4. Principles The fllwing principles will guide the Prgram s stakehlder relatins and cmmunicatins: (a) (b) (c) (d) The requirements f the Act will be respected We will strive t be accessible and respnsive when cmmunicating with ur stakehlders, the public and Gvernment Annual gals will be established fr the nging imprvement f ur stakehlder relatins and cmmunicatins; an annual plan fr achieving these gals will be cnsidered and apprved by the Bard as part f the annual business planning prcess We will strive t be as transparent as pssible abut ur Prgram and its prcesses, while balancing this principle with the privacy standards defined in ur Privacy Plicy. PMP Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy Apprved January 15, 2008 4
5. Definitins In this plicy: (a) (b) Administratr means the agency r persn designated by the Minister t administer the Prgram, and fr the purpses f this Plicy includes the Manager appinted by the Administratr r any ther persn emplyed by the Administratr. Bard means the Nva Sctia Prescriptin Mnitring Bard established by the Prescriptin Mnitring Act. (c) Manager means the individual appinted as the Manager by the Administratr pursuant t s. 12(4) f the Prescriptin Mnitring Act. (d) (e) Minister means the Minister f Health. Prgram means the prescriptin-mnitring prgram established by the Bard. 6. Scpe This Plicy applies t: (a) (b) (c) the Bard, the Administratr, and the Prgram. 7. Accuntability The Administratr and the Bard Chair have respnsibility fr the nging mnitring and enfrcement f this Plicy. They will reprt n cmpliance with this Plicy t the Bard at least nce per year. 8. Challenging Cmpliance Any challenge t the Prgram s cmpliance with this Plicy shall be prvided in writing t the Manager. PMP Stakehlder Relatins and Cmmunicatins Plicy Apprved January 15, 2008 5