The regulations require an applicant to link with the Health Board (HB) as part of pre-application process. The applicant and officers from the HB normally arrange a meeting. The HB officers provide help on regulation and process but they do not and cannot give a view on whether a proposal might be subsequently approved. Existing pharmacies may also need to follow the same process when looking to relocate to different premises.
Before the meeting, the applicant provides details about the proposed pharmacy address, services to be provided and opening hours, which allows discussion on how a new pharmacy in the area might address any unmet needs or improve local patient services.
This discussion is to help the applicant to decide whether to move forward with their proposal. If their decision is to move forward, another meeting is arranged to discuss the Joint Consultation exercise.