Agenda item

The Board received a presentation, from Dr. Djuretic, on the Pharmaceutical needs Assessment. Following the presentation the Board discussed the group’s findings.

Dr. Djuretic noted that production of a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) was a statutory duty of the Health and Wellbeing Board. The PNA was the document that NHS England requested when it decided if new pharmacies were needed and to make decisions on which NHS funded services need to be provided by local community pharmacies.  The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 require every Health & Wellbeing Board to publish its first PNA by 1^st April 2015.

The Board noted that there were 59 pharmacies in Haringey and the PNA report concluded that Haringey was well resourced in terms of pharmaceutical services and that there were no current needs for either extension, enhanced or advanced services identified. The PNA also highlighted that there was good alignment with GP surgeries in areas of population and there was a reasonable correlation between population and number of pharmacies. The area of north east Tottenham does have a below average number of pharmacies available. In addition, given the expected population growth in Tottenham over the next ten years, there will be need for additional pharmacies going forward. It was proposed that Public Health would maintain the PNA and review the needs going forward as the Tottenham regeneration programme progressed.  The Board noted that the average number of prescriptions dispensed in each pharmacy was lower than both the London and England average.

Ms. Grant noted that the report was particularly relevant given the increasing role that pharmacies play in health care. The fact that there was additional capacity within Haringey was welcomed. Cllr Waters, Cabinet Member for Children & Families, welcomed the report and thanked the report author for their work.

RESOLVED:

1. That Haringey’s Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2015 be approved.