Decision details

In accordance with the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the Health and Wellbeing Board must assess local needs for pharmaceutical services in its area, and publish a statement of its first assessment and of any revised assessment.

Matthew Cole (Director, Public Health) presented the report to the Board and outlined the Local Authority’s responsibilities to develop and maintain a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) for the borough. The Board noted that the development of the PNA is a lengthy process and to meet the requirements to produce the PNA for April 2014 will mean beginning the work now.

Matthew Cole explained to the Board that the PNA gives the borough the opportunity to determine what additional services pharmacies in the borough will provide, this means that pharmacy services can be tailored to suit the borough’s health and wellbeing priorities.

The Health and Wellbeing Board agreed:

·  To approve the presentation to a future meeting of the Board an updated pharmaceutical services map, as required by regulation.

·  To approve any supplementary statement to the PNA (as required by regulation) and to delegate a task and finish group in Public Health to prepare this and present it to the Board.

·  To delegate as a responsibility of the Public Health Programmes Board, the governance and delivery of the first PNA, taking into consideration the long planning cycle required.

·  To approve the development of appropriate robust stakeholder engagement and consultation, and use of resource by the subgroup of the Board, in delivery of the PNA.