Issue - meetings

30 minutes

To note the findings of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment and approve the report for publication.

Paul Scott, Associate Director and Consultant in Public Health, B&NES/Victoria Stanley/Richard Brown, Chief Officer, Community Pharmacy - Avon and Wiltshire

Paul Scott, Associate Director and Consultant in Public Health, B&NES introduced the report and Victoria Stanley, ICB and Richard Brown, Chief Officer, Community Pharmacy - Avon and Wiltshire were in attendance to answer questions:

1.  The PNA was a duty of the Health and Wellbeing Board and needed updating every 3 years.

2.  The purpose of the PNA was for NHSE to use as an evidence base when they receive applications for changes to pharmacies.

3.  No gaps had been identified in the report, but it had been noted that there were a number of long-term temporary pharmacy closures. 

The Board raised the concerns about long-term temporary closures which were creating a gap in provision for patients and questioned why this was not addressed in the PNA report.  It was noted that this was a particular problem for patients where temporary closures were concentrated within a geographical area where there was no alternative local pharmacy provision.

It was clarified that, in terms of the regulations, a pharmacy was either open, temporarily closed or no longer a pharmacy.  The regulations did not cover the scenario of long-term temporary closures, and a gap could not be identified when a pharmacy contract was still in place. 

The Board recognised the need to have an up-to-date PNA, but asked that, in publishing the report, a note be included in relation to concerns about long-term temporary pharmacy closures and the impact on patients.

In response to a question about late night opening hours and the fact that there was only a service up until 7pm in Bath rather than 9pm as suggested in the report, it was clarified that it was unreasonable to request pharmacies to open late at their own cost when there may not be a demand for a late night service and that there were other options for dispensing urgent medication.

The Board RESOLVED to:

1.  Note the findings of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, in particular the key finding at the end of the Executive Summary.

2.  Approve the report for publication with a note included in relation to concerns about long-term temporary pharmacy closures and the impact on patients.