Report to:                  East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board

Date of meeting:       23 September 2025

By:                              Director of Public Health

Title:                           East Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025

Purpose:                      To present the 2025 East Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment to the Health and Wellbeing Board for approval, and agreement for it to be published, as required by the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Services) 2013 Regulations.

Recommendations:

East Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board is recommended to:

1. approve the 2025 East Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment attached as Appendix 1; and

2. agree to the publication of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment.

1 Background

1.1       Since April 2013 every Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) in England has a statutory responsibility to publish every three years, and keep up to date, a statement of the need for pharmaceutical services in its area, otherwise referred to as a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA).

1.2       The current PNA was published in October 2022 and so there is a requirement to publish an updated PNA by October 2026. The required content for PNAs is set out in Schedule 1 to the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013.

1.3       The aim of the East Sussex PNA is to describe the underlying need for and current provision of pharmaceutical services in East Sussex, to ensure that the minimum statutory requirements for PNAs are met, to identify systematically any gaps in services and, in consultation with stakeholders, make recommendations on future development.

1.4       Since July 2022, the NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been responsible for managing the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework and is expected to refer to the PNA when making decisions about market entry for new service providers, as well as in the commissioning of enhanced services from pharmacies.

2 East Sussex Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

2.1       The PNA was guided by a steering group, chaired by Public Health, with representation from Local Medical Committee (LMC), Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), Healthwatch, NHS Sussex ICB and the Adult Social Care consultation and insight team.

2.2       The full 161-page report at Appendix 1 includes the following: 

• Executive summary with clear conclusions and recommendations

• PNA process and strategic context

• Local data on demography and health and care needs by district and borough council area

• Details of current pharmaceutical services provision including locations and specific commissioned services available

• Results of the resident survey with 947 responses

• Gap analysis looking at travel times at different times of the day/week

• Results of stakeholder public consultation.

2.3       The report recognises how important and valued these services are in communities across East Sussex. Whilst there are some challenges with access, most residents were able to access services at various times of the day and week across all five district and borough areas of the county.

2.4       Whilst the report recognises there have been some closures since the last PNA, the main conclusion of this PNA is that there are:

• no geographical gaps in the location of premises;
• no geographical gaps in the provision of services; and
• no gaps in the times at which, or days on which, services are provided.

2.5 The recommendations from the PNA include the following:

· Commissioners to support current pharmacies to enhance access to the advanced and locally commissioned services currently available in East Sussex.

· Commissioners and current providers to continue to support ongoing good quality services that are highly valued by residents in East Sussex. This includes considerations for those with physical or communication needs and those who support others to access pharmaceutical services.

· Commissioners and current providers to ensure information on available pharmacy provision, especially on Sundays and Bank Holidays, is clearly communicated, up-to-date and accessible to residents and health and care providers.

· East Sussex County Council to maintain and improve, where possible, access to public transport, particularly for villages and towns in more rural areas of East Sussex.

· NHS Sussex ICB to consider the need for an out of hours locally commissioned service from existing pharmacies, including reviewing provision in Lewes on weekday evenings and rural Rother on Sundays.

• NHS Sussex ICB to regularly review the commissioning of Bank Holiday provision in East Sussex to ensure it appropriately meets resident needs.

3 Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       The Health and Wellbeing Board is required by the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Services) 2013 Regulations to publish and keep up to date a statement of the need for pharmaceutical services in its area.

3.2       The due process for developing the revised PNA has been completed and all the regulations associated with its production have been followed.

3.3       The Health and Wellbeing Board is recommended to approve the 2025 East Sussex PNA and to agree to its publication.

Darrell Gale

Director of Public Health

East Sussex County Council

Contact Officer

Email: graham.evans@eastsussex.gov.uk

Appendix 1: Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025