Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)
What is a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)?
Bexley's Health and Wellbeing Board is hosted by the London Borough of Bexley. The government requires all Health and Wellbeing Boards to produce an assessment of pharmaceutical services in their area every three years, under the NHS. The next assessment is due by the end of September 2025. This document is called the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).
The PNA is a report of the present needs for pharmaceutical services. It is used to identify any gaps in current services or improvements that could be made in future pharmaceutical service provision.
What are Pharmaceutical Services?
Pharmaceutical services are one of the many services currently provided under the NHS by community pharmacies and include:
- dispensing of medicines and appliances on prescription
- sale of medicines to the public
- providing advice to the public on medicines, coping with ill health or general health and well being
- receiving waste medicines for safe destruction
Who will use the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment?
The PNA will be used by NHS England, Bexley Council, and the Integrated Care Board to make decisions when applications for new pharmacies are received, and for the commissioning of other services that could be delivered by community pharmacies and other providers.
Who are we consulting and why?
We are required to consult with any patient, consumer or community group in the borough who has an interest in the provision of pharmaceutical services.
It is assumed that everyone living in Bexley may require services provided by community pharmacies and appliance contractors. We are therefore consulting with the entire resident population of Bexley and welcome the views from anyone living in Bexley or anyone providing pharmaceutical services in Bexley.
Please read the draft PNA in full (bottom of the page), then answer the survey. Your comments will inform the final Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment which will be produced by 1 October 2025.
Phases
Consideration of consultation feedback and finalisation of report
Consultation feedback will be considered and incorporated into a final document.
The final document will be created as webpages with a hyperlink published on the Public Health strategies and plans webpage on the London Borough of Bexley website by 1 October 2025.