Gateway Stabilization Pharmacy Services

Interior Health is seeking a provider for pharmacy services to support the 5-bed Gateway Stabilization Unit located in Williams Lake, British Columbia. The scope of work includes the provision of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and opioid agonist therapy, with a requirement for 24/7 on-call availability 365 days a year. The contract is structured over three annual periods from April 2027 through March 2030. Key deliverables include maintaining complete medication profiles, performing client medication reviews every six months, reconciling medications within 48 hours of admission, and conducting medication room audits every three months. The selected contractor must also provide clinical pharmacist availability for care conferences and lead staff in-services at least twice per year. Qualified providers must employ an interdisciplinary team experienced in substance use services, utilizing a trauma-informed, culturally safe, and harm reduction philosophy. All pharmacy staff must be in good standing with the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, and the pharmacy must be enrolled in and compliant with the Pharmaceutical Services Act and BC PharmaCare policies. Strict packaging standards are required, including 7-day multi-dose systems, unit-dose packaging for narcotics and hazardous medications, and specific labeling in accordance with provincial regulations. Additionally, the contractor is responsible for the waste management of plastics and must implement a continuous quality improvement process and adhere to Interior Health's safe communication of medication orders policy.