Pharmacies across Gateshead are currently providing “adequate” care and services but concerns remain about out of hours and weekend access according to a draft report.
These draft findings follow the council’s first pharmacy needs assessment since the pandemic.
Gateshead Council commissioned a review into how pharmacies are working throughout the borough. The report claims residents are largely well served by their local pharmacies.
There are 46 pharmacies throughout Gateshead and 98% of the urban population can access a pharmacy within one mile. However, the report does concede to the west of the borough there are fewer facilities and out of hours and weekend services remain varied.
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A total of 29 pharmacies are open on Saturdays, of which 13 (30% of total pharmacies) remain open on Saturday afternoons and only seven (16%) of pharmacies are open on a Sunday and these tend to be those stores situated in supermarkets or shopping areas.
The report stated: “Sunday and evening provision across Gateshead is more limited. Access to pharmacies that are open for longer during the day and the weekend is greater in the Central, Inner West and South localities of Gateshead with the East and West localities having limited Saturday morning and no Sunday access within the locality.”
The report continued: “There is, though, a requirement to review the timings of this provision to ensure that residents and patients can access support when required, especially during the out of hours periods”.
Chair of the health and wellbeing board, councillor Lynne Caffrey said: “We are still very concerned about evening and weekend services in the west of Gateshead because they are very sparse. There are a lot of communities there that cannot reach pharmacies.
“We discussed that the last time we were here and we have not been able to make any inroads on that problem yet.”
The projected demographic changes in Gateshead have been monitored and taken into account with regards to the pharmacy needs of the population.
Council figures predict the population of Gateshead is set to increase by 10% or approximately by 20,000 people by 2043. It is predicted there will be a 29% increase in people in the borough aged 65 years and over.
The report also indicated there may be increased pressure on such services as more housing is built across Gateshead. The full report is scheduled to be published at the beginning of next month.
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