PHARMACIES

Community Pharmacies have been regulated by a national contract since 1 st April 2005. This contract sets the rules that control "new entrants" and seeks to deploy better services according to population health needs. The first step in the service provision review process is the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA). This is improved and frequently updated by information coming from the Quality & Outcomes Framework (QOF) in the GMS contract monitored by QMAS (SPCT 2005). The PNA identifies three categories of services that community pharmacists can provide: Essential, Advanced or Enhanced.

While the first and the second are nationwide, enhanced services are commissioned locally by each PCT.

One of the preliminary suggestions of the Southwark's PNA is that there is no need for new pharmacies in Southwark: the existing 62 pharmacies are generally well distributed across the Borough and are located in places easily accessible to population. They have convenient opening hours and suit a range of different population needs (Table).

Pharmacies and services provided [TOP]

Pharmacies and services provided	number
Pharmacies	62
- in Emergency Hormonal Contraception Scheme	13
- Providing Smoking Cessation	13
- Providing Needle Exchange	7
- open in excess of 60 hours	10
Care Homes	68
- receiving contracted advice from community Pharmacies	20

 

REFERENCES [TOP]
Southwark Primary Care Trust. 2005. A Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment. The Provision of Community Pharmacy Services in Southwark Primary Care Trust. Southwark PCT webiste: URL.