Gloucestershire’s Health and Wellbeing Board are asking residents to provide feedback on pharmaceutical services in the county.
Every three years, the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) has to publish a statement of the needs for community pharmaceutical services in Gloucestershire. This is referred to as a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA). Community pharmaceutical services include local chemists, dispensing doctors (doctors that can dispense medication to patients in rural areas) and dispensing appliance contractors (businesses which dispense medical appliances such as catheters).
The PNA helps identify whether there are any gaps in the provision of pharmaceutical services in the county which means identifying if any new services, improvements or better access to existing services, are needed. The PNA considers the demographics of the Gloucestershire population and the health priorities of the county, as well as how pharmaceutical services can contribute to improving the health of Gloucestershire’s residents now and in the future.
Not only do pharmacies supply and dispense prescribed medication to the public, they also provide many other essential services such as vaccinations, promotion of healthy lifestyles, support for self-care, and sign-posting to other healthcare services and support. They play a key role in the community and the PNA gives residents the chance to give the Health and Wellbeing Board their opinion on the services in their local area.
Cllr Carole Allaway-Martin, Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board in Gloucestershire said “Pharmacies play a pivotal role in supporting local residents to manage and improve their health and wellbeing.
“The review of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) will help shape the future of pharmacy services in Gloucestershire and I encourage residents to take part so we can make sure everyone has access to these vital services.”
The consultation is now open and will close on the Monday 31 January 2022. You can have your say by going to www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/pna
If you require a paper copy, please contact publichealth@gloucestershire.gov.uk or call 01452 328214