Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments (PNA) were introduced in England in 2015 (and in Wales in 2022). PNAs are the mechanism that allows local health and wellbeing service coordinators to assess the adequacy of their pharmaceutical services provision

PNAs are important documents because they identify the areas in which a dispensing practice can operate (controlled or reserved localities) and provide the benchmark for the application of the NHS Pharmaceutical Services regulations that enable new pharmacies to open.  

Importantly, PNAs in Wales recognise the dispensing GP service as a pharmaceutical service equal to that offered by pharmacies and thus protect the GP dispensing service from predatory pharmacy applications.

In England, however, the GP dispensing service does not receive the same recognition, and thus, if a pharmacy opens in an area served by a GP dispensary, GP dispensing must cease to patients who live within a 1.6km radius of the new pharmacy.

In 2022-23, the number of distance selling pharmacies rose by 23 businesses, against a backdrop of a net reduction in the size of the pharmacy network.

Scotland does not operate a PNA-based pharmaceutical service network. Instead local Pharmacy Practices Committee will decide the necessity or desirability of the proposed new pharmacy, using criteria set out by current NHS Pharmaceutical Services Regulations in Scotland.

Since 2014, Scottish regulations have offered significant protection for the medical services provided by dispensing GP practices. This offers recognition of the vital role that dispensing income plays in supporting otherwise unviable NHS medical services in rural areas.

For more information

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments: Information Pack: England

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments: A guide for LMCs (England)

General Pharmaceutical Services in England

Pharmaceutical needs assessment: guidance: Wales

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments: A guide for LMCs (Wales)