VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Pharmacy

Asked by Ian RoomeLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 25 September 2025UIN 76889

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment, his Department has made of the accuracy of pharmaceutical needs assessments undertaken by local health and wellbeing boards.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock

Decisions on applications to open a new pharmacy are delegated from NHS England to National Health Service integrated care boards, and the Department does not hold data on how many applications were rejected or the reasons for these rejections. If a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) identifies a lack of need for a new pharmacy in the area, pharmacy contractors can still apply to open a pharmacy to provide benefits to the local communities that were not foreseen in the PNA.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim