Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

NHS Oxfordshire has looked at pharmaceutical services through the development of a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).

The government asked all Primary Care Trusts to put a PNA in place by February 2011. For more detailed background information on government policy, including the white paper: Pharmacy England: Building on Strengths - delivering the future, please click here (document, opens in a new window).

The Oxfordshire PNA provides a complete picture of current community pharmacy and dispensing services available within Oxfordshire. It reviews both access and services currently provided and how these could be developed further. To provide a good health service NHS Oxfordshire needs to review regularly what services are available, what our local people need and how things might change in the future. Through the development of the PNA we have been able to look at how best to commission or buy community pharmacy services the public in Oxfordshire need. The PNA has also helped establish if there are any gaps in services, to explore future provision and potential new services.

How we developed the PNA: Public engagement and consultation

In January 2010 we asked the public to take part in a survey about local pharmacy services. In some parts of Oxfordshire these services maybe provided by pharmacies or chemists and in other areas these services might be provided by your GP.

The results from this survey helped us understand how local people use pharmacy services, how they rated their experiences and what they would like for the future. The survey closed on February 12 2010. View the results here.

 

NHS Oxfordshire also undertook a public consultation between 8 September - 25 November 2010, urging the public to 'have their say' regarding pharmaceutical provision in the county. We setup an online consultation on our "Talking Health" webpage and held events across the Oxfordshire:

  • 13 October - Wantage Civic Hall, Portway, Wantage
  • 14 October - Oxford Town Hall, Oxford
  • 19 October - Henley Town Hall, Henley
  • 21 October - Langdale Hall, Witney
  • 23 October - Banbury Town Hall, Banbury

 

The consultation closed on 25 November 2010 and we have written a full report on the consultation and put together a summary document that sets out how we have addressed the comments received over the course of the consultation.

If you would like to access the finalised PNA or any of the associated consultation documents please follow the links below.

Wider context and background to the PNA

Since April 2008 local authorities and Primary Care Trusts have been under a statutory duty to produce a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA).

Producing a JSNA establishes the current and future health and well being needs of a population. It is also designed to lead improved outcomes and reductions in health inequalities.

It is important that the PNA links with and takes account of the JSNA. Find out more about the JNSA.

Exploring future provision and potential new services

In January 2009 NHS Oxfordshire hosted a stakeholder workshop to discuss the draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. This workshop had representation from the NHS Oxfordshire Commissioning and Public Health Directorates, members of NHS Oxfordshire Pharmacy Applications Group, the primary care contracting team, local Community Pharmacy Contractors, the Local Pharmaceutical Committee, Hospital Pharmacists, the Local Medical Committee, dispensing and non dispensing GP Practices, Practice Based Commissioning Consortia and a patient representative via the LINKs.

Attendees were asked to look at the draft PNA and feedback as to whether the information presented reflected an accurate picture of Oxfordshire. There were areas identified for further clarification as well as suggested additional information to be included. All comments and suggestions were taken into account and incorporated as far as possible into the revised PNA.

As part of the stakeholder workshop the attendees were also asked to identify potential services that could be provided by community pharmacy to meet the needs of the population in Oxfordshire.

 

Key Milestones in determining the PNA

March 2010 Pharmacy Patient Survey Results published on NHS Oxfordshire website
May 2010 Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee to discuss draftPNA patient feedback survey
September - October 2010 Public Engagement Events
October - November 2010 60 day consultation
January 2011 NHS Oxfordshire Board approve PNA
February 2011 PNA published on NHS Oxfordshire website

 

The following documents illustrate changes since the PNA was published in February 2011:.