Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health

The Director of Public Health submitted a report (previously circulated) updating the Board of progress and plans for refreshing the statutory Darlington Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA), which must be produced by 30 September 2022.

The submitted report outlined the statutory duty of the Health and Wellbeing Board through the NHS Act 2006 and the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to produce a PNA every three years; that the requirement to produce a PNA in 2020 was delayed, due to the pandemic; and the PNA would expire this year and required reviewing, updating and publishing by 30^th September 2022, including a statutory 60 day consultation period before final sign off.

It was reported that the PNA would map the health needs and services to ensure there were no gaps, to assure the Council that the residents of Darlington had good access to pharmacy services; and that the main use of the PNA would be for NHS England to decide whether additional pharmacies were needed in Darlington. Members were advised of the current provision in Darlington.

It was reported that the review process had been commenced by the Director of Public Health in autumn 2021 and included the establishment of a Steering Group, led by Public Health, the development of a survey for Community Pharmacies and the development of a questionnaire for patients and the public; and reference was made to the timeline for production of the PNA (also previously circulated).

Discussion ensued regarding the use of online pharmacies.

RESOLVED ­– That the Health and Wellbeing Board :-

(a) Supports the plan and proposed timelines for the statutory review of the PNA;

(b) Reviews the draft of the PNA at the next Health and Wellbeing Board before it goes out to public consultation;

(c) Receives the final document for sign off.

REASON –(a) The production and publication of the PNA is a statutory duty of the HWBB under The NHS Act 2006 and the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

(b) The PNA expires in 2022 and a new one requires sign off no later than 30th September 2022.