Pharmaceutical needs assessment
Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board has a statutory duty to complete a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA). The PNA seeks to identify those local health needs which could be met by the provision of pharmaceutical services. Pan-Lancashire's PNA presents information about the demographics and health priorities of the local population alongside a detailed picture of current pharmaceutical provision. The PNA is used as the basis for decision making in response to application for new pharmacies.
The PNA is a key document which will be used by NHS England to inform decisions regarding applications for new or changes to existing pharmaceutical services. The PNA will also be used by NHS England to make decisions in the commissioning of NHS-funded services that can be provided by local community pharmacies.
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) took on delegated responsibility for the commissioning of NHS pharmaceutical and local pharmaceutical services from NHS England on the 1 July 2022. The ICB will therefore be using the PNA to determine routine applications under the NHS Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Regulations 2013, as amended.
The NHS website can be used to easily find a pharmacy near you.
Pan-Lancashire Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2022
The executive summary and full PNA are available from the key documents panel on the right of this page, alongside the pharmacy opening hours. Please note, as the PNA is a large document it has been split into separate chapters.
The PNA includes information on:
- pharmacies in Lancashire and the services they currently provide;
- relevant maps relating to Lancashire and providers of pharmaceutical services in the area;
- pharmacies in neighbouring HWB areas that might affect the need for services in Lancashire; and
- potential gaps in provision and likely future needs for the population of Lancashire.
Any changes to the pharmacies listed in the pan-Lancashire PNA 2022, since its publication in September 2022, and key PNA 2018 documents can be viewed here.
Consultation on the Pan-Lancashire draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025
The PNA is a comprehensive assessment of the current and future pharmaceutical needs of the local population.
Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool health and wellbeing boards have a statutory duty to publish a PNA every three years, under the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013. The last assessment was published in October 2022 and a revised assessment must be published by October 2025.
The PNA describes the current provision of pharmaceutical services across the pan-Lancashire footprint and whether this meets the current and future needs of the area.
PNAs are used by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB to inform decisions regarding applications for new or changes to existing pharmaceutical services and to make decisions in the commissioning of additional services from pharmacy.
Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool health and wellbeing boards are keen to hear your views on the draft PNA 2025. Please email your feedback to: haveyoursay@lancashire.gov.uk.
The consultation will take place from Tuesday 1 July 2025 to Sunday 31 August 2025.
The draft PNA 2025 can be found here.
All findings and comments will be summarised for the final PNA document. A consultation report will be included within the final PNA document. This will provide an overview of the feedback received and set out how the comments have been acted upon.
We look forward to receiving your feedback on the draft PNA.
The PNA 2025 terms of reference can be found here and the PNA 2025 communications plan can be found here.
Page updated July 2025