News release
8 July 2010
For immediate release
Is your pharmacy the right prescription?
People living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland are being asked to give their
views on services offered by pharmacists and dispensing doctors in a questionnaire,
ahead of a public consultation later in the year.
The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) aims to highlight any gaps in
provision and show which services are required, where and by whom. The results will
help to determine if pharmacy services meet the health needs of the population and
whether applications to provide new pharmacy services will be approved in the
future.
Both NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland and NHS Leicester City will be carrying
out their own Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments, which are a legal requirement for
primary care trusts in England.
Lesley Harrison, associate director of primary care commissioning at NHS
Leicestershire County and Rutland, said: “By filling in the questionnaire people can
make sure that their views influence the services delivered by pharmacists.
“We are asking people to tell us which services they use most, whether they are
convenient and if they would like more services to be provided.
“After we have got the feedback from the questionnaire, we will each put together a
draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment which will then go out to public consultation
from 1 September until 31 October.”
David Riley, head of primary care improvement for NHS Leicester City, added: “We
want to hear from as many people as possible what they think of city pharmacies. We
work closely with pharmacists to provide the best possible services. Get in touch if
you regularly visit your pharmacist for repeat prescriptions or advice, or alternatively
tell us the reasons why you don’t use your pharmacist. Your comments are vital to
helping us improve our services.”
The closing date for the questionnaire is 31 July. People living in Leicestershire
county and Rutland can fill it in online by visiting NHS Leicestershire County and
Rutland’s website at www.lcr.nhs.uk/pna or pick a copy up from their local
pharmacist. To request a survey to be posted to you contact Tom Pitchers 0116 295
7686.
People living in Leicester can fill in the questionnaire by collecting a copy from their
local pharmacy, calling NHS Leicester City’s Get Involved team on 0116 295 4183,
visiting the website at www.leicestercity.nhs.uk/getinvolved or alternatively email the
team at getinvolved@leicestercity.nhs.uk
ENDS
077
This press release was issued by Caroline Curd on behalf of the NHS in Leicester,
Leicestershire and Rutland. For more information, contact the communications office
on 0116 295 7663.
Interviews:
 For NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland contact Caroline Curd on 0116 295
7663
 For NHS Leicester City contact Liz Mattock on 0116 295 4123
Notes to editors:
By law all PCTs in England must publish a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment
(PNA) by 1 February 2011 which must:
 Highlight whether there are gaps in the services provided by pharmacists
 Show pharmacists and dispensing doctors which services are required, where
and by whom
 Assist PCTs with their commissioning of high quality services
NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland has 129 pharmacies and 19 dispensing
doctors (a doctor’s surgery which is able to supply medicines to patients).
NHS Leicester City has 78 pharmacies.