Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025

What is a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA)?

The PNA is a report of the current and future needs for pharmaceutical services. It is used to identify any gaps in current services or improvements that could be made in future pharmaceutical service provision.

Every Health and Wellbeing Board has a statutory duty to carry out a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment every three years. The last Kingston Borough PNA was published in September 2022.

Who will use the PNA?

The PNA will be used by NHS England, Kingston Council, and the local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) to make decisions when applications for new pharmacies are received, and for the commissioning of other services that could be delivered by community pharmacies and other providers.

Who was consulted?

A public questionnaire about pharmacy provision was developed to understand the views of the public in Kingston. 

The questionnaire was circulated by the PNA Steering Group to engage people who live, work and study in Kingston.

As part of the Steering Group, Healthwatch Kingston (HWK) distributed the questionnaire through the Healthwatch Kingston newsletter, website and Public Meetings. 

To understand the needs of a wide range of people throughout Kingston, including those who are digitally excluded, have learning disabilities, or are Disabled, Healthwatch Kingston worked with local organisations, including:  

• Fastminds
• Kingston Association for the Blind
• Kingston Food Bank
• The Kingston All Age Learning Disability Partnership Board

Building on our previous work to engage with communities across Kingston, findings from our Including Communities and Including Digitally Excluded Communities engagement also helped shape HWK contributions to the PNA.