Issue - meetings

To consider the NHS Haringey briefing on the development of pharmaceutical need assessment.

The Committee received the report on the NHS Haringey pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA, introduced by Pauline Taylor, NHS - Head of Medicines Management & Commissioning (Central) highlighting that there was over-provision of pharmacies in Haringey.

The Committee expressed concerns that legislation required the need for the establishment of a new pharmacy to be demonstrated yet there were 4 exemptions (below) where a business did not need to meet the “necessary and desirable” criteria.  A briefing note exploring this issue would be provided to the Committee (action 61.1).

Exemptions:

·        The pharmacy would be in a large retail development

·        The pharmacy would be open 100 hours a week or more and provide essential services

·        The pharmacy would include a one-stop shop/primary care centre

·        The establishment would be an internet pharmacy

The Committee expressed concern about applications for new pharmaceutical premises in terms of the impact on neighbouring businesses and reducing the footfall (number of people who walked past a store) and asked the NHS to consult with the Council’s planning department and consider its policy.  Councillor’s Browne and Winskill would be copied into any correspondence (action 61.2).

In response to its questions the Committee was informed that the review would consider other factors including opening days and times, central dispensing services as well as additional services that pharmacies were willing to offer but it was unlikely that a pharmacy already opened would be closed as a result.

The Head of Medicines Management & Commissioning – NHS would investigate and report back to the Committee if there were any pharmacies in Haringey that had been established through exemption from the “necessary and desirable” criteria (action 61.3).

RESOLVED that the report be noted and that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee be included in the formal consultation on pharmaceutical needs assessment.