Agenda item

Ms Shikha Sharma, the Council’s Public Health Consultant, advised that a new Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) was required every three years and must link to other strategies such as the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.  The PNA assessed the adequacy of pharmaceutical services in Hillingdon under five key themes and considered the Borough’s current and future needs over the next three years.  The PNA had a dual purpose:

• to provide the Health and Wellbeing Board with a framework for understanding the range and suitability of the local pharmaceutical services; in relation to the needs of the local populations; and
• to support decision making process while considering application of new pharmacies.

The document had been completed by following a four stage methodology: project planning and governance; research and analysis; PNA development; and consultation and final PNA production.  The PNA was on track for publication by the 1 October 2025 deadline. 

Pharmacies in Hillingdon provided the following NHS England commissioned services:

·         Essential services – including dispensing of medicines, Public Health, signposting and support for self care;

·         Advanced services – including Pharmacy First, flu vaccinations, contraception, and smoking cessation; and

·         Enhanced services – including Covid vaccinations and bank holiday opening.

The Integrated Care Board commissioned end of life services through pharmacies and services that were commissioned locally by the local authority included sexual health and substance misuse services.  For the purpose of the PNA, all essential services were considered necessary services.  The advanced and enhanced services were considered relevant as they contributed towards the improvements in provision and access to pharmaceutical services.

The current population of Hillingdon was 319,018 with a projected increase to 342,000 expected by 2031.  Around 1,200 new dwellings were expected each year during the course of the PNA.  Although deprivation was highest in the south of the Borough, there were pockets of deprivation in the north. 

There were 59 pharmacies contracted in Hillingdon, equating to 19 pharmacies per 100k population which was favourable compared to the England average of 17.7 (this figure was broken down further, showing that there were 20.1 in the north of the Borough and ?18.9 per 100k population in the south).  Although it had been found that 99.7% of residents lived within a five minute drive from a pharmacy, accessibility was more complex than that and conditions that people suffered from varied across the Borough.  Progress had been made with regard to availability of preventative services like smoking cession but consideration needed to be given to how and which services were being provided from pharmacies. 

During the public consultation, 166 responses had been received, mainly commenting on things like the availability of medicines, location and the quality of services.  77% of respondents had stated that they were able to travel to a pharmacy in less than 15 minutes and 18% stated between 15 and 30 minutes.  It was noted that pharmacy accessibility for residents in the Heathrow Villages had been incorporated into the feedback.

It was noted that the community engagement work undertaken by partners in the Heathrow Villages linked to the gap in pharmacy provision in that area.  As such, it was suggested that mention be made of this work in the PNA.  Whilst it was acknowledged that there were parts of the Heathrow Villages that did not have a pharmacy (it was not recommended that residents drove the Heathrow airport to use their pharmacy), the Orchard and Village pharmacies provided services to the area.

When looking at pharmaceutical services, consideration needed to be given to what needed to be done differently as a system – the “so what?” factor.  Currently, half of the pharmacies in the Borough were open for 40 hours each week – it was questioned how this was deemed accessible and whether the service was really meeting the needs of residents (the needs of residents in Heathrow Villages did not seem to be being met). 

It was great that the basic essential services were being met but more could be done in relation to extended services.  The report showed the difference between the north and south of the Borough in relation to things like the take up of the flu vaccination and contraception (with the most deprived areas having the least access to these services).  As such. consideration needed to be given to how this could be improved.  Pharmacies now provided more services than they ever had previously but thought was needed as to how they could be encouraged to do more in the future (for example, intravenous antibiotics). 

The care in the community work needed to be built upon and a communications strategy put together to publicise pharmaceutical services.  It was suggested that the screens in GP waiting rooms be used to support this communication. 

RESOLVED:  That it be noted that:

1.    work on the 2025 PNA was on track for publication by 1 October 2025.

2.    the Draft PNA had been signed off for consultation in early June 2025 (a 60-day consultation was hosted on the Council website between 20 June and 19 August 2025).

3.    two pieces of feedback had been received during the consultation period (one piece from a member of the public and one piece from a Boots branch), alongside feedback from:

a.     the Borough Lead Inequalities Pharmacist;

b.     the London Region Pharmaceutical Services Regulations Committee; and

c.     the Harmondsworth & Sipson Residents Association (following June’s Older People’s Assembly).

4.    feedback was currently being reviewed and integrated accordingly into the draft PNA and included:

a.    changes to opening hours and trading names

b.    more detail on future housing developments within the localities

c.    further details on current and future provision, and any gaps

d.    the need to reiterate that many pharmacies who responded to the survey said they were willing to provide services if commissioned

5.    authority be delegated to the Public Health and Business Intelligence teams, in consultation with the Co-Chairs, to make the amendments and sign off the document for publication by 1 October 2025.

6.    the discussion be noted.