Help shape the future of pharmaceutical services in Shropshire
Shropshire residents and organisations are being asked to have their say on the future of pharmacy services in the county.
The public consultation, led by Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board, runs until Saturday 19 March 2018, and asks people their views and thoughts on the draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) report.
The PNA is a statutory requirement of council health and well-being boards, which helps look at pharmaceutical services offered or needed across the region. It is a way of making sure that pharmacies across the county are providing the right services, in the right locations, to support the needs of Shropshire residents.
Pharmacists dispensing health advice
Pharmacies play a key role in providing quality healthcare, providing a wide range of health advice, information and treatment. Pharmacists are trained to help people treat themselves for many common conditions, such as colds, stomach bugs and aches and pains, which can be especially common in winter months. Many pharmacies offer flu and travel vaccinations to customers for a fee, and also provide flu vaccinations for people eligible to get them free on the NHS.
Shropshire’s PNA will be looking at the current provision of pharmaceutical services across the county and whether this meets the current and future needs of the population whilst identifying any potential gaps in the service. The information and feedback collated will be then used by NHS England to decide whether there is a need for new pharmacies in the area.
Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health, adult social care and housing, and Chair of Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board, said:
“The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment consultation provides a great opportunity to shape the future of pharmacy services in Shropshire. Pharmacies play a vital role in our local communities. As most of us use pharmacies as part of taking care of our health, we urge everyone – pharmacists, patients and customers – to put forward their views to help shape the PNA.”
To view the PNA report and take part in the survey, click here or go to www.shropshiretogether.org.uk/shropshire-pharmacy-needs-assessment/.
All enquiries, comments and feedback on the content in the draft PNA should be submitted no later than Saturday 19 March 2018, to emma.sandbach@shropshire.gov.uk, or by post to Emma Sandbach, public health specialist, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND.
For more information about Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board visit http://www.shropshiretogether.org.uk/ or follow us on twitter @ShropTogether.
For more information about what services pharmacies offer and to find out your nearest Pharmacy visit http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/aboutnhsservices/pharmacists/pages/pharmacistsandchemists.aspx.
Further information
What is a PNA and why do we need one?
The PNA is a report on the needs for pharmaceutical services. It is used to identify any gaps in current services or improvements that could be made to current or future pharmaceutical service provision.
Since 1 April 2013, every health and well-being board in England has a statutory responsibility to publish and keep up-to-date a statement of the needs for pharmaceutical services of the population in its area, referred to as a PNA.
Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board have a statutory duty to publish a PNA at least every three years, under the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013.
Who will use the PNA?
It will be used by NHS England and Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board to make decisions about current and future providers of pharmaceutical services and the services they may provide.
What happens next?
The feedback and the comments from the consultation will be considered and amendments made to the PNA as necessary.
What is Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board
Shropshire’s Health and Well-Being Board’s purpose is to improve the health and well-being of the population. It does this by influencing policy decisions that impact the lives of people locally, commissioning services that join up health and social care, and by working to improve the quality of services in Shropshire.
The board is made up of members from Healthwatch Shropshire, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS England, Shropshire’s Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly, and Shropshire Council.
The Board has developed a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), a document which details the health profile and health needs of Shropshire, and the Joint Health and Well-Being Strategy, a document that shows how we will help meet those needs. Ongoing work continues to take place to ensure that patients and service users can influence both the design and delivery of services in future.
