A new pharmacy is needed in Calcot, after the area was deemed to be one of the more deprived areas of the district resulting in an inequality gap in life expectancy.
The gap was created by a closure of a Lloyds Pharmacy (in Sainsburys) which was located on Bath Road.
The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) to the council’s health board found that, overall, the people of West Berkshire enjoy a good level of health.
Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy are higher than regional and national figures for both males and females.
However, it says there is an inequality gap in life expectancy between those living in the most deprived areas of West Berkshire compared to those living in the least deprived areas.
“Provision of pharmacy services, including Pharmacy First, can help to address these inequalities,” says the assessment.
“The PNA identifies a gap in provision of pharmaceutical services in Calcot, which, if filled, would help to address health inequalities in that area.”
West Berkshire pharmacies dispense an average of 8,962 items per month, which is higher than the South East’s average of 8,077 and the national average of 8,698.
Wash Common Pharmacy and Mortimer Pharmacy dispense the highest volumes, handling 17,557 and 17,272 items per month respectively.
The government’s 10 year plan commits to increase the role of community pharmacy as part of the new Neighbourhood Health Service.
The document prompted a call from West Berkshire leader Jeff Brooks for the board to put more effort into improving things.
“We should be here to advise on change and improvement,” he told the health and wellbeing board on Wednesday.
“A year ago I said the health and wellbeing board needs to move the board in a positive direction otherwise it is a group of people noting reports,” he said.
“My challenge here is should West Berkshire be promoting home delivery services.
“The more organisations crop up that deliver prescriptions to the door… the less the pharmacy will dispense.
“The only way ahead for pharmacies is a front door triage approach where they are paid to take the load off the GP, as fewer people will go to the pharmacy for their prescription.”
The PNA provides an overview of the demographics and the health and wellbeing needs of the West Berkshire population.
It also captures the views of local residents and pharmacy service users.
It assesses whether the current provision of pharmacies and the commissioned services they provide meet the needs of local residents and whether there will be any gaps in provision within the lifetime of the PNA.
There are 16 community pharmacies and seven dispensing GPs located within West Berkshire.
There are a further 10 community pharmacies located within a mile of West Berkshire’s boundaries.
