People in West Sussex are being asked to give their feedback on recommendations to improve access to pharmaceutical services in the county.

West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board has published the draft West Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) report, which aims to better understand people’s use of pharmaceutical services. This includes services such as getting prescriptions and health advice from local pharmacies and dispensing doctors.

The report examines whether the provision of pharmaceutical services meets the current and future needs of people in West Sussex and identifies any potential gaps to service delivery.

The PNA is used by NHS England, local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups to inform decisions about applications for new, or changes to existing, pharmaceutical services and the commissioning of NHS-funded services that can be provided by local community pharmacies.

The report found that on average, there are around 18 community pharmacies in West Sussex per 100,000 residents, which is lower than the England rate (21 per 100,000) but higher than the South East region rate (17 per 100,000).

The draft PNA and its supporting documents are available on the county council’s website. Comments can be submitted via the consultations page. The closing date for comments is Sunday 28th August.

For anyone who doesn’t have internet access, the PNA can be viewed online for free at any West Sussex library.

The final PNA will be published on the West Sussex County Council website on 1st October 2022.