Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – that:

·        The minutes of the meeting held on the 8 January 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.  The Clinical Commissioning Group representatives did highlight the commissioning relationship the CCGs may have with community pharmacies in relation to the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment item on the agenda but this didn’t constitute a declaration of interest for the purposes of the agenda item.   

There were no questions from the public on this occasion.

Professor Aliko Ahmed, Director of Public Health

Chris Weiner introduced the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, stating that there was a real opportunity for pharmacies to play an important role in making access to healthcare easier for communities and to relieve the pressure on General Practice and Accident and Emergency.  The Board has a statutory duty to publish a PNA and update it at least once every 3 years or earlier if there have been significant changes in either service need or provision. Should the PNA be agreed then it would be published by the April deadline.

The key messages from the assessment were that there are sufficient numbers and a good choice of pharmacy contractors in Staffordshire to meet needs.  There are increasingly greater opportunities for pharmacies to deliver advanced services to support health and wellbeing needs of residents including supporting the management of long term conditions, some sexual health services and flu vaccination services.

A potential gap was in service provision on Sunday’s although GP surgeries are normally closed and hence demand lower.

Key points from the discussion that followed included:

·         It was agreed that the details of the number of Staffordshire residents and the organisations that responded to the consultation be shared with the Board, for information, outside of the meeting.

·         Medical waste was highlighted as an issue in terms of the amount of medication that was prescribed, collected but then not used.  Examples were given of local campaigns and conversations between GP practices and pharmacies to raise awareness of waste medication.  It was highlighted that this was a national issue costing the NHS significant amounts of money annually.

·         In terms of the gap in provision highlighted in the PNA in terms of Sunday access the Board wanted this to be flagged up with the Area Team.  This was both in terms of tackling the gap and bearing the gap in mind when in receipt of applications for altered pharmacy opening hours.

·         Further consideration should be given to the scope and capacity of pharmacies to deliver a greater range of health and wellbeing services such as Tamiflu vaccinations and other services relieving the pressures on GP services.

·         It was suggested that a smaller group of Board members may want to work together to further explore the issues raised through the PNA and present a clear and consistent message back to central government and the Area Team around the potential of greater utilisation of pharmacy services locally.

RESOLVED - that:

·         The gap in provision of accessible pharmacy services on a Sunday be highlighted as a recommendation from the PNA to the Area Team.

·         That a breakdown of the respondents to the consultation be shared with Board members outside of the meeting.

This item was for information only.

RESOLVED – that:

·        The Board note the content of the report.

·        A letter had previously been sent on behalf of the Board by the co-Chairs thanking Jackie Carnell, Independent Chair of the Board and her team.

The Chairman to move:-

RESOLVED – That the public be exclude from the meeting for the following item of business which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraph of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated.

RESOLVED – that:

·         the exempt minutes be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.