Southend Health and Wellbeing Board is under a statutory obligation to draft, consult upon and publish a pharmaceutical needs assessment in accordance with the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013, as amended, by 1 October 2025.
The pharmaceutical needs assessment is designed to assess the current provision of pharmaceutical services (ie those services that NHS England and the integrated care board commission from pharmacies, dispensing doctors and dispensing appliance contractors), have regard to any specified future circumstance where the current position may materially change and identify any current and future gaps in pharmaceutical services. The pharmaceutical needs assessment assists the integrated care board in determining applications by pharmacies and dispensing appliance contractors for new, additional or relocated premises, changes to opening hours or the provision of more pharmaceutical services.
Whilst not falling within the legal definition of ‘pharmaceutical services’, there may be services currently commissioned by City of Southend Council or NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board that inform the conclusions reached in this process and may assist those organisations in considering their commissioning intentions of other local services from pharmacies.
As part of this process, the health and wellbeing board is conducting a consultation process on the draft pharmaceutical needs assessment and seeks your views on the document. The consultation period starts on Wednesday 18 June and ends on Monday 18 August 2025.
Your details and responses will be held by PCC CIC, a company that is working with us on our pharmaceutical needs assessment. Your responses will be shared with the health and wellbeing board and the pharmaceutical needs assessment steering group but will only be used for the purpose of this consultation and developing the pharmaceutical needs assessment. Any personal data you provide will be held in accordance with their privacy policy.
If you would like more information about the consultation or have questions about the pharmaceutical needs assessment, please email Data@southend.gov.uk.