To consider the attached report.

The Chair introduced the item and informed the Board that they were being asked to approve the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)so the work could move onto the next stage.

The Public Health Commissioning Manager provided a presentation to the Board on the PNA that covered what the PNA was and why it was needed, the work that had been done, the findings of the work done, and the recommendations to the Board. The Board were informed that the PNA was a document done by each area across the Country and the details of the steps taken to update the PNA, which had culminated in the draft document that had been shared within the agenda pack. The review had identified a gap in provision within Partington and the first of the two recommendations to the Board was to approve the progress of the working group to address that gap, with the second recommendation being to approve the PNA.

The Deputy Place Lead for Health and Care Integration for the Trafford Locality asked how the consultation with residents had been conducted. The Public Health Commissioning Manager responded that work done with pharmacies and residents and had received 145 responses to the consultation. 

The Deputy Place Lead for Health and Care Integration for the Trafford Locality asked about the closing of Pharmacies across GM and whether Trafford had any impact from that. The Public Health Commissioning Manager responded that Trafford was still far above the National average in terms of the number of Pharmacies across the area and it had not been as badly affected as other areas across GM.

The Deputy Place Lead for Health and Care Integration for the Trafford Locality Asked whether the gap identified within Partington was new. The Public Health Commissioning Manager responded that the gap had been identified within the previous PNA but had not been addressed. The Director of Public Health added that one of the benefits this time was that a lot of the PNA work had been done in-house which had given the Council more control over the PNA and the related follow up work, which had already begun.

The Director of Commissioning stated that there were two parts to the work. The first was the data analysis to identify the current position and any gaps in provision, which culminated in the final PNA. The next part was to deliver the changes detailed within the PNA. The Director of Commissioning added that work needed to align with the work around the Urgent Care Review.

The Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Equalities asked whether a timescale could be given for the completion of the work to address the gap in provision identified within Partington. The Director of Commissioning also asked for the timescales for the work to be shared with the ICB so that it can be worked into the timescales around the Urgent Care Review. The Public Health Commissioning Manager responded that a timeline would be provided.

Councillor Whetton spoke of his recent experience trying to fill a prescription and how he had to go from his area through to Timperley to find a pharmacy that could fulfil it. The Director of Commissioning responded that Pharmacies were individual entities, so it was up to them whether they worked together or not and informed the Board Members that there had been shortages of supplies. The Chair asked which organisation was responsible for pharmacy contracts and how they worked. The Director of Commissioning responded that they were national contracts that each Pharmacy agreed to and it was Local Pharmaceutical Committees who were responsible for the contracts. The Director of Public Health added that the Council could use social media to support people on what to do if they went to their pharmacist and could not access a drug. The group agreed to share the information and discussed the importance of involving pharmacies in the process.

The Chair of the Trafford Safeguarding Board asked whether the LPC conducted their own monitoring about the availability of drugs and whether they shared the information with the Council. The Director of Commissioning answered that there were meetings between the LPC and NHS England and that she could look at information shared at those meetings to find out the information the LPCs held and ask that it be shared with the Board.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted and recommendations agreed.

2)    That the delivery of the PNA should align with the Urgent Care Review.

3)    That the timeline for the work in Partington be shared with the Board and the Urgent Care Review.

4)    That data from the LPC be requested through NHS England.

5)    That information on what to do if you cannot fulfil a prescription be publicised on the Council’s website and social media accounts.