Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)

Executive Summary

A Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) is an assessment of the pharmaceutical needs of a population. This PNA has been produced in response to the National Health Service (NHS) (Pharmaceutical Services) (Amendment) Regulations 2010, which details new requirements in relation to the production and publication of a PNA.

The document outlines the process that was followed by NHS Sheffield in meeting its statutory duty to produce and publish a robust PNA. This comprised of establishing a steering group to assess whether current pharmaceutical provision (from Community Pharmacy and Dispensing Doctors) meets the health and pharmaceutical needs of Sheffield's population.

Pharmaceutical needs include dispensing of medication, provision of advice and clinical pharmaceutical interventions, delivered via essential, advanced and enhanced services.

The health needs described are the 10 priority areas highlighted within the organisation's Health Strategy, Achieving Balanced Health 3 and they are described on a locality basis (Community Assemblies and Electoral Wards).

In summary the PNA has identified that Sheffield residents:

Have better access to pharmaceutical services than the England average with provision that meets their pharmaceutical needs.
Could benefit in terms of a reduction in health inequalities if the clinical resource within Community Pharmacy could be utilised more in promoting and increasing access to preventative initiatives.

The PNA will be used by NHS Sheffield:

As a tool in commissioning decisions for the provision of pharmaceutical services for Sheffield‟s population.
As the basis for determining market entry to NHS pharmaceutical services provision.
To determine which directed services (advanced and enhanced) exempt applications (e.g. 100 hour pharmacies) must provide.