Agenda item

To receive a report regarding the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment - Wokingham Decision-Making Process.

Karen Buckley, Public Health Consultant presented the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment – Wokingham Decision-Making Process report which was set out in agenda pages 33-36.

She explained that the local decision-making process involved the following steps:

·           Democratic Services and Public Health receive notification (for example 45 days for consolidations of pharmacies, three weeks for pharmacy closures)

·           Democratic Services notifies WBWB Members

·           Public Health Team undertakes data analysis against PNA/national criteria

·           Public Health produces briefing and shares with WBWB Members

·           A decision is made by the appropriate person/s

·           An item is scheduled for information at the next public meeting of WBWB

·           Berkshire West Shared Public Health Team publish any supplementary statements (as required)

The Board was now required to choose one of the proposed options for making decisions where there was no meeting of the WBWB within the timeframe. The options were:

a)     Hold an extraordinary WBWB

b)     Delegate the decision to the Chair (or Vice-Chair in their absence) and Public Health Consultant

c)     Review circulated by email to all WBWB Members for a decision

Councillor Bray suggested that the decision should be communicated to all Members of the Board for transparency, and that the final decision be made by the Chair.  Members were in agreement with this proposal.

David Dean, Local Pharmaceutical Community explained that there were 257 pharmacies across Berkshire and Oxfordshire.  He expressed much concern with the future of the pharmacy provision in general.  He explained that for a pharmacy to operate, it was necessary to have two pharmacists employed.  However, there was a shortage of pharmacists and issues in relation to the funding of two pharmacists per pharmacy.  There had been a decrease in the funding for pharmacies at national level.

David Dean stated that with the closure of the Winnersh pharmacy, there would be 21 pharmacies in Wokingham.  The remaining pharmacies would be able to deal with the prescriptions that had previously been dealt within the Lloyds pharmacy in Winnersh.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Members expressed concern that there were not enough pharmacists, and wondered if the training offer should be improved;

·           David Dean stated that also of concern, was the fact that a lack of pharmacists could add pressure to the workload of GPs.  He informed that part of the problem was the fact that many graduates were choosing to go into other industries;

·           Members noted that local pharmacies had been extremely helpful with the covid vaccinations campaign;

·           Councillor Bray stated that the Lloyds pharmacy in Winnersh had never administered the flu vaccine, however their website had accepted bookings, which was very unhelpful.  She had written to them about it but had never received a reply;

·           Members asked what was the reason for the sudden lack of drugs in the market?  David Dean explained that there had been an excess build up of medication when the UK left the EU.  Companies chose to sell their drugs to whoever paid more;

·           Karen Buckley reassured the Board that there was local capacity to administer the prescriptions that were previously dispensed at the Lloyds pharmacy in Winnersh.  The analysis which had been undertaken against local and national PNA criteria showed that there was not a significant impact on residents;

·           Members expressed concern that some residents may have to drive to a pharmacy to pick up their prescriptions;

·           Karen Buckley reassure the Board that against the national and local PNA criteria, there was access to pharmacy provision;

·           Debbie Milligan asked that the information about pharmacies be communicated to all GPs in the borough.  In Wokingham, only ASDA and Tesco had pharmacies that were open late at night;

·           Karen Buckley agreed to do a supplementary statement, to check flu vaccine provision and late and weekend opening hours.

RESOLVED That:

1)     When a decision is required outside of the timeframe of a planned WBWB:

           I.     the information will be circulated via email to all Members of the Board

          II.     the Chair (or Vice-Chair in their absence) and Public Health Consultant will have delegated authority to make a decision

        III.     the decision will be discussed at the next meeting of the Board

2)     GPs will receive communication about the pharmacies’ service in the borough.