Every three years, Essex County Council takes a deep dive into how well our community pharmacies are serving residents. It’s called the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) – and while it might sound technical, it’s actually a vital piece of work that helps ensure people across Essex can access the medicines, advice, and services they need.
This year’s PNA (2025) is now complete, and I wanted to share some of the key insights, challenges, and opportunities we uncovered.
What is the PNA and why does it matter?
The PNA is a statutory requirement – meaning we have to do it by law – but it’s much more than a tick-box exercise. It helps:
- Assess current pharmacy provision
- Spot gaps or areas for improvement
- Guide NHS decisions on new pharmacy applications
- Support local commissioning and planning
In short, it’s about making sure pharmacy services are accessible, equitable, and future-proofed.
Collaboration at the Core
This year’s PNA was a team effort. We worked closely with:
- Essex Health & Wellbeing Board
- Public Health Research and Citizen Insight team, Essex County Council
- Pharmacy Lead, Essex County Council
- NHS Essex Integrated Care Boards
- Healthwatch Essex
- Essex Local Pharmaceutical Committee
- Essex Local Medical Committee
- Commissioners, providers, and the public
A statutory consultation ran from June to August 2025, and we received valuable feedback through surveys and stakeholder engagement. It’s always great to see how data and lived experience come together to shape our understanding.
What did we find?
- Strong Coverage Across Essex
We’ve got:
- 230 community pharmacies
- 47 dispensing doctors
- 5 dispensing appliance contractors
- 6 distance-selling pharmacies
That’s a solid network serving 1.54 million residents. Impressively, 99.9% of people are within a 20-minute drive of a pharmacy, and 82% can walk to one in under 20 minutes.
- No Gaps in Core Services
All NHS-contracted pharmacies offer essential services, with many going above and beyond through:
- Advanced services like New Medicines Service and Hypertension Case-Finding
- Locally commissioned services such as sexual health, palliative care, and needle & syringe provision
- Tackling Inequality
Essex is a county of contrasts – some areas are among the most deprived in England, others among the least. The PNA highlights the need to target services where health inequalities are greatest, ensuring protected groups aren’t left behind.
- What Residents Told Us
From our public survey:
- 91% use pharmacies for prescriptions
- 59% for over-the-counter meds
- 40% for advice
But many weren’t aware of some of the more advanced services. That’s a clear call for better communication and outreach.
- Planning for the Future
Essex’s population is set to grow by 6% by 2033, especially among the 80+ age group. We’ve factored in all major housing developments and found no anticipated gaps in provision.
Workforce pressures remain a challenge, but innovations like hub-and-spoke dispensing, digital solutions, and independent prescribing offer exciting opportunities.
So, what’s next?
The 2025 PNA concludes that Essex’s pharmacy network is robust, responsive, and inclusive. But we’re not standing still. The Health & Wellbeing Board and partners will continue to monitor needs, adapt to demographic changes, and ensure pharmacy services remain central to community health.
If you’re curious, the full PNA is available on the Essex Open Data website.
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