Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health

The Director of Public Health submitted a report (previously circulated) providing Members with an update on the consultation of the Pharmacy Needs Assessment (PNA) and requesting that consideration be given to approving the final version of the PNA (also previously circulated).

The submitted report stated that the Board had the responsibility for the development and updating of the PNA, and the updated PNA was required to be published by 30 September 2022; and outlined the consultation that had been undertaken and the responses received.

It was reported that overall the feedback was that there were sufficient pharmacy services in Darlington at this time and that the four 100 hour pharmacies in Darlington provided patients access and choice of pharmacies within the town centre and the main suburbs.

Discussion ensued on the emergence of online pharmacies; Public Health advised that work would be undertaken with the PCN in relation to identifying changes in patient choices; and that a further survey was being undertaken by Healthwatch in relation to repeat prescriptions.

RESOLVED – (a) That the consultation undertaken, as detailed within the submitted report, be noted.

(b) That the updated Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, as appended to the submitted report, be approved.

REASON – (a) It is a statutory duty that the Council publishes the PNA by 30 September 2022.

(b) The draft PNA was considered at the July 2022 Health and Wellbeing Board meeting before it went out to formal consultation.

(c) Consultation took place between 12 July and 11 September2022.

(d) Any factual inaccuracies have been corrected in the final PNA document. Consideration has been given to all other issues raised.