Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

The final Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment has now been published: thurrock.gov.uk/public-health/pharmaceutical-needs-assessment

What is a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)?

Thurrock Health and Wellbeing Board is hosted by Thurrock. The government requires all Health and Wellbeing Boards to produce an assessment of pharmaceutical service in its area every three years, under the NHS. The next assessment is due by the end of the September 2022. This document is called the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)

The PNA is a report of the present needs for pharmaceutical services. It is used to identify any gaps in current services or improvements that could be made in future pharmaceutical service provision.

What are Pharmaceutical Services?

Pharmaceutical services are one of the many services currently provided under the NHS by community pharmacies and include:

• dispensing of medicines and appliances on prescription
• sale of medicines to the public
• providing advice to the public on medicines, coping with ill health or general health and well being
• receiving waste medicines for safe destruction

Some pharmaceutical services may be provided by dispensing GP practices or dispensing appliance contractors.

Who will use the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment?

The PNA will be used by NHS England, Thurrock Council, and the Clinical Commissioning Group in the Council to make decisions when applications for new pharmacies are received, and for the commissioning of other services that could be delivered by community pharmacies and other providers.

Who are we consulting and why?

We are required to consult with any patient, consumer or community group in the borough/county who has an interest in the provision of pharmaceutical services.

It is assumed that everyone living in Thurrock may require services provided by community pharmacies and appliance contractors. We are therefore consulting with the entire resident population of Thurrock and welcome the views from anyone living in Thurrock or anyone providing pharmaceutical services in Thurrock. Your comments will inform the final Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment which will be produced by 1^st October 2022.

When will the consultation take place?

The consultation will take place from 9th May until 8th July 2022.

Printed copies are available on request. Should you require a paper copy of the questionnaire to be sent to you please contact: Info@soarbeyond.co.uk / 01442 927 972 referencing Thurrock PNA Survey.

N.B. All responses to these questions are anonymous; responses are added together and no individuals are identified. Any information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and in line with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The information will be held securely and used for the purpose of planning appropriate services for all communities. It will not be passed on to any third party. For more detail on our privacy notice please visit: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/privacy