Residents in North Yorkshire and York are being urged to help shape the future of pharmacy services.
Public health teams from ourselves and City of York Council are asking residents and partner organisations for their opinions on whether the locations, accessibility and services provided by pharmacies are adequate as plans are drawn up to develop the services in the future.
All Health and Wellbeing Boards are required to produce a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) at least every three years to ensure the best decisions about pharmacy services are made for communities.
An online survey has been launched today (Monday 20 January) and is open until Sunday 2 March.
The feedback received will influence decisions on the location of pharmacies, their opening hours and the services provided, ranging from dispensing prescriptions to providing medication counselling.
Our executive member for health and adult services and chair of the North Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Board, Cllr Michael Harrison, said: “Pharmacy services play a vital role in supporting health and wellbeing with pharmacies themselves often found in the heart of our communities.
“Good access to the right services at the right time is so important in helping to address health inequalities.”
The questionnaire is anonymous and confidential and should only take around 10 minutes to complete.
City of York Council’s executive member for health, wellbeing and adult social care, Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw, said: “Pharmacies are an important part of healthcare provision across our communities so I’m urging everyone to have their say and help us understand if current services are meeting the needs of all our residents.
“The findings from the survey will help us to understand where pharmacies are already performing well and identify any potential gaps to service delivery that need improvement.
“This will help ensure everyone can get access to the best possible services.”
Our director of public health, Louise Wallace and City of York Council’s director of public health, Peter Roderick, said: “Local pharmacies play a pivotal role in our county by providing healthcare and support to individuals, families and carers of all ages.
“Your feedback combined with the expertise of health professionals will help this research shape the futures of pharmacies used by residents in York and North Yorkshire.
“Please consider having your say by completing the survey which can be found on our website. Paper copies are also available at all main libraries.”