Although a formal committee of Brighton & Hove City Council, the Health & Wellbeing Board has a remit which includes matters relating to NHS Sussex, the Local Safeguarding Board for Children and Adults and Healthwatch.

 

Title:

 

Draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Report update 2025

Date of Meeting:

 

22 July 2025

Report of:

 

Caroline Vass, Director of Public Health

Contact: 

 

Katy Harker, Consultant in Public Health or Janet Rittman, Pharmaceutical Advisor.

 

 

Email:

 

Katy.harker@brighton-hove.gov.uk or Janet.rittman@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Wards Affected:

 

All

 

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

 

Executive Summary

 

The Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) has a statutory responsibility to publish a revised Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) every three years. The PNA maps current pharmaceutical services, identifying gaps and exploring possible future needs. It’s used by NHS England and Sussex Integrated Care Board to decide upon applications to open new pharmacies and informs the commissioning of pharmaceutical services.

 

This paper provides an update to the Health and Wellbeing Board on the draft 2025 PNA report. The report describes the changes that have taken place in the provision of pharmaceutical services to the city since the last report was published in 2022.

 

The draft PNA is out to consultation from 27th May 2025 until 27th July 2025 and can be found here: Project: Comment on our draft Pharmaceutical Needs Asses... | Brighton & Hove City Council. Comments will be reviewed and the final version agreed by the steering group.

 

The Board are asked to note the draft report and to submit comments if they wish.

 

The DPH has delegated authority to approve the PNA, a full and final PNA report will be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board in September 2025.

 

Glossary of Terms

DSP - Distance Selling Pharmacy

JSNA - Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

PNA – Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

 

 

 

1.           Decisions, recommendations and any options

           

1.1        That the Board note the draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment report and identify any additional information required to inform its decision on the final version of the PNA when to comes the Board for approval in September 2025.

 

2.      Relevant information

 

2.1         The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) has been developed on behalf of the Brighton & Hove Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) in line with statutory requirements under the National Health Service (NHS) (Pharmaceutical Services and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013. The purpose of the PNA is to evaluate the current and future need for pharmaceutical services in Brighton & Hove, ensure services meet the needs of the local population, and support commissioning decisions. It provides a framework for determining the adequacy of pharmaceutical provision and informs decisions about future applications to the pharmaceutical list.

 

2.2         The PNA was prepared by Soar Beyond Ltd on behalf of Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) and overseen by a multi-stakeholder Steering Group. A structured process was undertaken, including:

 

·         Comprehensive data gathering on pharmaceutical services and population health needs.

·         Public engagement exercise to understand the views on pharmacy access and use. A total of 358 responses were received.

·         Mapping of service provision across the city and analysis of service gaps.

·         Public and stakeholder engagement, including a 60-day consultation.

·         Consideration of local strategies and statutory duties, including the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), NHS Long Term Plan, and the Brighton & Hove Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

 

2.3         Brighton & Hove has a population of 279,600 (mid-year estimate 2023) with diverse demographics and a growing proportion of older adults. Health inequalities persist across the city. There are 51 community pharmacies, including one Distance Selling Pharmacy (DSP), equating to 18.2 pharmacies per 100,000 population, slightly above the England average (18.1).

 

2.4         Access to pharmacies is good across the city:

·         100% of residents who have access to a car can reach a pharmacy within 10 minutes.

·         98.1% of residents can walk to a pharmacy within 20 minutes.

·         100% of residents using public transport can reach a pharmacy within 20 minutes.

Pharmacy opening hours show:

·         35% of pharmacies open after 6 pm on weekdays.

·         71% of pharmacies open on Saturdays, offering good weekend access.

·         8% of pharmacies are open on Sundays, reflecting broader trends in weekend healthcare access.

 

2.5         Advanced Services such as Pharmacy First, New Medicine Service, Flu Vaccination Service and Hypertension Case-Finding are widely offered, with high uptake among providers. Enhanced Services, including COVID-19 vaccination, are also available. Locally commissioned services (e.g. emergency contraception, supervised consumption, smoking cessation) are provided across a wide pharmacy network.

 

2.6         No current or future gaps have been identified in the provision of Essential Services and there is good access to other services across Brighton & Hove.

 

2.7         The 2025 PNA concludes that pharmaceutical services in Brighton & Hove are well distributed and accessible, meeting the current and projected needs of the population. No gaps have been identified in the provision of Necessary Services during or outside normal working hours. Advanced and Enhanced Services are widely available, and locally commissioned services contribute to improved access and public health outcomes.

 

2.8         The current community pharmacy network in Brighton & Hove should be supported to strengthen service delivery, particularly through improved public awareness, enhanced uptake of Advanced Services in areas of need, and alignment with local health priorities.

 

 

Next steps

 

2.9  The draft PNA is out to consultation from 27th May 2025 until 27th July 2025 and can be found here: Project: Comment on our draft Pharmaceutical Needs Asses... | Brighton & Hove City Council.

2.10      Comments will be reviewed and the final version agreed by the steering group.

2.11      The Board are asked to note the draft report and to submit comments if they wish.

2.12      The DPH has delegated authority to approve the PNA, a full and final PNA report will be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board in September 2025.

 

 

3.      Important considerations and implications

 

            Legal:

3.1      The National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 (“the Regulations”) set out the legislative basis and requirements of the Health and Wellbeing Board for developing and updating the PNA. The proposals set out in this paper are consistent with ensuring that the HWB is in a position to discharge its duties.

 

 

 

Lawyer consulted:        Natasha Watson                      Date: 10.7.2025

 

.

Finance:

           

3.2          There are no financial implications as a direct result of the recommendations of this report

 

 

Finance Officer consulted:     Steve Williams              Date: 09/07/25

 

Equalities:

3.3         We have incorporated Equality Act 2010 requirements throughout the PNA document. During the PNA process we have taken into consideration protected characteristics and vulnerable groups at each stage of the process and details relating to how services affect different groups are detailed in the main report.

 

 

 

Sustainability:

 

3.4          A Sussex wide scheme within primary care has included the involvement of community pharmacies in the lower carbon inhaler scheme where patients are encouraged to change to the lower carbon inhaler devices. A number of pharmacies across the city also offer recycling facilities for medicine blister packaging. The Community Pharmacy and Public Health Forum intend to review sustainability initiatives and how they can support further sustainably measures in Brighton & Hove.

 

 

Health, social care, children’s services and public health:

 

This paper was prepared by the Public Health Team.

 

 

Supporting documents and information

 

            Appendix1: Project: Comment on our draft Pharmaceutical Needs Asses... | Brighton & Hove City Council.

            Appendix 2: Draft Recommendations

 

  1. Local authority and Sussex ICB to formally embed community pharmacies within prevention strategies at the neighbourhood and PCN level, ensuring pharmacies are recognised as first-line providers for public health interventions, screening, and early detection activities.
  2. As commissioning for vaccination services transitions to the ICB in 2026, there is an opportunity to expand pharmacy delivery beyond flu and COVID-19 to include pneumococcal, shingles, and RSV vaccinations, supporting early prevention and population immunisation targets. This builds on the recommendation from the previous PNA.
  3. A targeted public awareness campaign should be developed to raise awareness of preventive health services available through community pharmacies, ensuring communication reaches underserved populations and those with the highest health risks, aligning to the ‘PLUS5’ groups for Brighton & Hove.
  4. Sussex ICB and Public Health should consider developing incentives for pharmacies located in under-served or deprived areas to expand delivery of Locally Commissioned Services, particularly services like sexual health advice.
  5. Sussex ICB, PCNs, and Brighton & Hove City Council should look to formally integrate community pharmacy services into neighbourhood multidisciplinary teams, enabling seamless referral pathways between general practice, pharmacy, and other primary care services.
  6. Sussex ICB should work with Community Pharmacy Surrey and Sussex (LPC) to commission a pharmacy workforce development programme, focusing on clinical skills development and service delivery under the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), and preparation for independent prescribing.
  7. System partners should prepare to maximise the opportunity presented by independent prescribing from 2026 by:
    1. Identifying early pharmacy prescribers.
    2. Supporting mentoring and supervision arrangements.
    3. Aligning service pathways to support pharmacies managing common conditions and long-term diseases.
  9. Building a digitally connected, accessible, and well-informed community pharmacy network will be vital to improving early diagnosis, empowering residents to manage their health, and supporting integrated, person-centred care across Brighton & Hove