NHS North East Essex is the local NHS organisation responsible for health services in the borough district council areas of Colchester and Tendring.  We have responsibility to plan and commission local health services, working closely with our local stakeholders and especially with our local authorities and practice based commissioning (PBC), for the people who live in our area.  We need to ensure that our population obtains safe and effective pharmaceutical services which are easily accessible, from local community pharmacies and dispensing GPs as part of that responsibility. 
 
The Health Act 2009 sets out the legal requirements for publication of a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA).  This is supported by subsequent pharmaceutical regulations in 2010.  The PNA describes our assessment of the need for pharmaceutical services in north east Essex and is the first PNA document to be produced by this trust under these regulations. 

For further information please contact Mary Tompkins on 01206 286819 or Sarah Mitchell on 01206 286879.