Agenda item

This report provides an update on the provision of pharmaceutical services within the Rainham area of Medway.

Discussion:

The Director of Primary and Community Care from the ICB introduced the report which updated the Committee on issues relating to pharmacy provision in Rainham. He explained that the way in which ICBs managed contractual arrangements with pharmacies was set by national regulations which opened up opportunities for resolution where there were disputes and provided space for a contractor to respond. If following the process, a decision was made to remove a pharmacy from the pharmaceutical list, then the Health and Wellbeing Board would be informed so that it could decide whether or not to submit a Supplementary Statement to its own Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).

Members then raised a number of questions and comments, which included:

·       Wider company issues – reference was made to the fact that the pharmacy currently shut in Rainham was part of a wider chain which was experiencing difficulties.  The ICB confirmed that the way pharmacy provision was commissioned was highly regulated and each individual site had to be treated individually. The pharmacy in Rainham was not the only one from that particular chain that fell within the Kent and Medway boundary and the ICB was following the procedures directed by national regulations.

·       Ageing population of Rainham – reference was made to the ageing population of Rainham and the impact the lack of provision caused by the now closed pharmacy had on them.

·       Delay in action – reference was made to the perceived delay in action by the ICB.  In response the ICB confirmed to the Committee that they had been working with the pharmacy to support them through an informal resolution process for them to meet their contractual obligations which followed the performance management framework for community pharmacy. This was part of the required process which had been unsuccessful, and a case had therefore been taken to the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations Committee.

·       Limitations of the regulations – frustration was expressed by Members that other providers had requested to open a pharmacy in Rainham but had been rejected. The ICB explained that there was an extensive process to remove a pharmacy from the pharmaceutical list and until the full process was completed, a pharmacy remained on the list. The PNA had to include all pharmacies on the pharmaceutical list, regardless of their performance, a requirement set by the regulations with no flexibility. The ICB emphasised that they also wanted communities to be well served and have easy access to medicine and other pharmacy service provisions. Reference was made by the Committee to the local MP who had also been looking into the issue and had indicated they would take the matter forward to Government.

• Letter to Government – it was suggested that the Committee write to the Department for Health and Social Care, with support from Public Health and the ICB, to raise the opportunity for population health in a more flexible approach to pharmacy commissioning and its concerns of the limitations caused by the current regulations and the impact this was having on communities such as Rainham.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report and agreed to work closely with the ICB and Public Health to escalate the matter to Government.