The joint public consultation exercise is led by the Health Board (HB) working with the applicant. It invites the views of residents and other interested people and organisations within the area where the proposed premises are located and measures their support for the opening of a new pharmacy at this address.
The exercise must invite views on the following issues:
- The pharmacy services the applicant wants to provide;
- Views about gaps in the current pharmacy services available;
- How the new pharmacy might impact on current NHS services within the identified local area;
- The level of support (or not) for the application.
New pharmacy consultations must be advertised in the newspaper with the highest circulation within the local area.
Where an existing pharmacy wants to relocate a poster will be displayed in the current pharmacy premises.
The advert and/or poster will let you know how you can take part in the consultation. Normally this will be by completing an electronic questionnaire which you can access through the HB’s website. The link to this questionnaire will appear clearly in the advert and/or poster.
If you do not have access to a computer, a paper version of the questionnaire will be also available. For those who need it, the questionnaire will be available in large font, Braille and other languages. Detail on how to get a paper questionnaire will appear clearly in the advert and/or poster.
General comments are also welcomed and details on how to do this will appear clearly in the advert and/or poster.
The HB also writes to the following to get a community view:
- Elected representatives for the area where the proposed pharmacy is located (local councillors, MSPs, and MPs);
- Health & Social Care Partnership Local Engagement Network;
- the Community Council(s) serving the area where the proposed pharmacy is located; and
- Voluntary and 3rd Sector organisations located in or providing services to people living within the area surrounding the proposed premises.
The public consultation lasts for 90 working days (does not include weekends & public holidays) and all responses received by the end of this period are included within the Consultation Analysis Report (CAR). This report details the extent of the consultation and summarises all the replies received.