Help to shape future pharmacy services

HYWEL DDA University Health Board is inviting the people from Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire to give their views on community pharmacy services.

Feedback will be gathered through a survey, which will commence from November 12 2020 and will run for four weeks.

The information from this survey will be used to prepare a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, which will look at where pharmacies are located and how far patients have to travel, what services pharmacies offer and if current services meet the needs of the communities they serve.

The findings will help to determine if more pharmacies or services in particular areas are needed and support the health board in making decisions to develop and improve services in the future.

Jill Paterson, Director of Primary Care, Community and Long Term Care for Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “This is the biggest engagement exercise to look into community pharmacy services that has ever been undertaken in Wales and will give people with the opportunity to provide their views on current pharmacy provision which will shape how future services should look.”

Community Pharmacist, Gareth Harlow added: “As a community pharmacist I would encourage members of the public to help guide us on what service you would like to see pharmacies offer by filling in this survey.

“Community pharmacies have always strived to make sure that the health and wellbeing of the public is our first priority and by providing us with this feedback we can make sure that we are getting this right.”

The survey can be completed online via https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KX6PT89 or paper copies will be available at your local pharmacy.

The results will be published in a draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment in spring 2021 and published on the health board’s website.

For more information or if you have questions about completing the survey, please email kelly.white@wales.nhs.uk or call 01554 783745.