Have your say on local pharmaceutical services
Residents of Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes have the chance to give their views on pharmaceutical services in their local areas.
It is part of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA), which runs from 16 October 2017 to 15 December 2017.
A PNA looks at what pharmaceutical services are currently in an area, whether this meets local needs and if there are any gaps.
So, residents are being asked to give feedback on the services offered by local pharmacies, which could include offering health advice and information such as stop-smoking services, sexual health and drug support services as well as providing over-the-counter medicines, and whether this meets local needs.
All local authorities are required to keep an updated PNA document, so feedback is also sought on each of the documents to help identify any issues that affect the commissioning of pharmaceutical services and the ability to meet local health needs and priorities.
Residents can take part in one or both sections of the consultation. All feedback will be considered by the health and well-being boards from the three local authorities and help them to identify any current and future services that may need to be commissioned.
Central Bedfordshire Council - Councillor Brian Spurr, Executive Member for Health at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment affects most residents, as many of us will use a pharmacy at some point or another to get medicine or health advice and information for themselves or family members. That’s why I’d encourage as many people as possible to have their say.
“Your feedback will be vital in ensuring that what’s out there already meets local needs – and if there are any gaps then we need to know about them so that we can inform those that commission and provide services.
To have your say, visit http://centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/pna or you can pick up a paper copy from your local library.
