Background
To provide pharmaceutical services providers (most commonly community pharmacists but also dispensing appliance contractors and GPs in rural areas) are required to apply to be included on a pharmaceutical list. For their inclusion to be approved they are required to demonstrate that the services they wish to provide meet an identified need in the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) for the area.
From April 2013 the Health and Social Care Act 2012 transferred responsibility for developing and updating PNAs from the former primary care trusts (PCTs) to Health and Wellbeing Boards. At the same time the responsibility for using PNAs as the basis for determining market entry to the pharmaceutical list transferred from PCTs to NHS England.
Purpose
The Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) has the legal responsibility for producing a PNA every three years. A revised PNA for Lincolnshire needs to be published by 1 October 2025.
The purpose of the PNA Steering Group (PNA SG) is to develop the revised PNA on behalf of the HWB.
The PNA SG will set the timetable for the development of the PNA, agree the format and content, oversee the statutory consultation exercise, and ensure the PNA complies with statutory requirements.
Role
The PNA SG has been established to:
- oversee and drive the formal process to review the PNA for Lincolnshire, including the 60-day statutory consultation exercise
- ensure the published PNA complies with all the statutory requirements set out in the appropriate Regulations
- promote integration and linkages with other key strategies and plans including the Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS) for Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire's Integrated Care Partnership Strategy
- establish arrangements to regularly review the PNA following publication, including issuing subsequent supplementary statements in response to any significant changes
Key functions
- to oversee the PNA process
- to approve the framework for the PNA
- to approve the project plan and timeline, and drive delivery to ensure key milestones are met
- to ensure the development of the PNA meets all statutory requirements
- to determine the localities which will be used for the basis of the assessment
- to undertake an assessment of the pharmaceutical needs of the population including:
- mapping current pharmaceutical service provision in Lincolnshire
- reviewing of opening hours and location of services
- using the JSNA and other profile data to review the health needs of the population
- analysing current and projected population changes in conjunction with existing patterns of service provision
- identifying any gaps in service provision and proposed solutions on how gaps can be addressed
- consideration of future needs, including housing growth, and its impact on the development of services - in terms of essential, advanced, and enhanced service provision
- to produce a draft PNA for consultation
- to ensure active engagement arrangements are in place
- to oversee the consultation exercise ensuring that it meets the requirements set out in the Regulations
- to consider and act upon formal responses received during the formal consultation process, amending the PNA document as appropriate
- to ensure the Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Board is updated on progress and that the final PNA is signed off by the Board by 1 October 2025
Membership
Core membership will consist of:
- Public Health Consultant, Public Health Division (LCC) - Senior Responsible Officer
- Programme Manager, Strategy and Development (LCC)
- Programme Manager, Public Health Intelligence (LCC)
- Representative, Healthwatch Lincolnshire
- Representative, Local Pharmaceutical Committee
- Representative, Local Medical Committee
- Representative, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board
In addition to the PNA SG core membership, specific expertise will be requested as required to meet specific elements of the Regulations, for example LCC’s Corporate Communications and Community Engagement Team will be asked to support the statutory consultation exercise.
LCC Public Health Division will provide a dedicated Project Manager to project manage throughout the PNA process and as required, additional capacity to support the statutory consultation process.
Primary Care Support England (on behalf of NHS England) will support the production of the PNA by providing any necessary data and information but will not be core members of the PNA Steering Group.
Reporting arrangements
- the PNA Steering Group will report to the HWB as required and at key decision points
- the Senior Responsible Officer will provide regular updates on progress to the Chairman of the HWB, the Director of Public Health and Health Scrutiny Committee, LCC
Frequency of meetings
The PNA Steering Group will meet, either on a face-to-face basis or virtually every four to six weeks or in accordance with the project plan.
Following publication of the agreed PNA, the Steering Group will be convened on a quarterly basis to fulfil its role in timely maintenance of the PNA.
The meetings will be administered by LCC Public Health Division.
Declarations of interest
Declarations of interest will be a standing item on each PNA Steering Group agenda, and the details will be recorded in the minutes. Where a member has a conflict of interest for any given item, they will be entitled to participate in the discussion but will not be permitted to be involved in final decision making.
If any issues arise concerning conflicts of interest, these will be reported to the HWB.
Steering group member responsibilities
Members of the PNA Steering Group will:
- commit to attend meetings
- nominate a deputy, wherever possible, to attend meetings on their behalf in their absence
- actively contribute to the compilation of the revised PNA and any subsequent supplementary statements
- come to meetings prepared with all documents and contribute to the debate
- understand that the discussions at the PNA SG are confidential, unless stated otherwise, and are not to be disclosed to any unauthorised person
- declare any conflicts of interest which might have a bearing on their actions, views and involvement within the PNA Steering Group