Healthwatch Walsall Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Report
The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) is a key commissioning tool for NHS England, Local Authority and the Black Country Integrated Care Board (BCICB). The PNA includes pharmaceutical services and other services that may be delivered through community pharmacy. The PNA maps current provision, assesses local need, and identifies any gaps in provision. It is reviewed every 3 years and Healthwatch Walsall were pleased to be asked to have an integral role in the consultation process. Robust, up to date evidence is important to ensure that community pharmacy services are provided in the right place and that the pharmaceutical services commissioned by NHS England and services commissioned by Walsall Council and the BCICB meet the needs of the communities they serve.
Healthwatch Walsall were asked to engage with the citizens of Walsall to ascertain their views on how Community Pharmacies meet their needs. The PNA is a statutory required document which help Walsall Borough Council assess current and future pharmaceutical needs for the local population.
What we did
Healthwatch Walsall used a simple survey to capture local people’s views and experiences of using pharmacy services. This was made available online and hard copy paper surveys were made available at local community venues and health centres.
The work was undertaken from mid-March to mid-May 2025. Healthwatch Walsall collected a total of 164 responses from members of the public. Please note that not all participants answered every question. In some cases, this was because the questions were not applicable to them, or they chose not to complete certain sections for other reasons.
We collected partial postcodes to ensure representation from a broad range of resident locations and communities across Walsall.
Key Headlines
• The location, efficiency and proximity to their local GP are the driving considerations to patients when choosing a Pharmacy for them. • Patients use Pharmacies mainly for GP prescribed medication and repeat prescriptions. • Patients are using a range of treatments including ‘Pharmacy First’ provision. • Some patients would like late or weekend opening times. • 91% of respondents said that Pharmacies ‘met’ or ‘mostly’ met their needs.
To read the full report, please click here.