February 7th 2025

By Ailsa Colquhoun

DDA produces PNA resources

The DDA, in conjunction with Primary Care Commissioning has published a briefing paper for Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments (PNAs) In England.

In England, revised PNAs for 2025-28 will be published by October 1, 2025. These documents identify the current provision of pharmaceutical services by pharmacies, dispensing appliance contractors and dispensing doctors, and identify any gaps in the provision of services by pharmacies and dispensing appliance contractors. These gaps could be a current gap, or one that will arise during the three-year lifetime of the PNA. 

The integrated commissioning board (ICB) will refer to the PNA when determining new pharmacy applications that provide services identified as missing by the PNA. A pharmacy opening in a rural area will have an impact
on any dispensing doctors providing services to that area.

It is particularly important that PNAs include the dispensing service provided by dispensing doctors so that gaps in the provision of pharmaceutical services are not inappropriately identified which could lead to a successful application to open a new pharmacy. 

The DDA has contacted LMCs in England to ensure they fully represent dispensing practices in their area and dispensing GPs can support this work:

• Dispensing GP teams should ensure they receive and complete a questionnaire to ensure the PNA reflects their service.
• LMCs should be invited to join the HWB steering group that will oversee the drafting of the PNA. LMCs must be consulted on a draft of the PNA prior to its publication.

Briefing papers for LMCs in England and Wales (which reviews its PNAs in 2026) have been added to the About Dispensing Practice section of this website