Abdool Kureeman, a contractor in Ashtead, Surrey, has hit out at his local PCT after it rejected his application to open a pharmacy, based on what he claimed was an "out-of-date" pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA).

Mr Kureeman, who owns a pharmacy in Lower Ashtead, made the application in March this year, after a Lloydspharmacy closed in Ashtead village.

"Pharmacy Voice has concerns about the quality and currency of some of the existing crop of PNAs" Rob Darracott, Pharmacy Voice

More on control of entry Pharmacy business sale prices slip 10 per cent Xrayser: Negotiators must stick up for the little guy Rowlands warns of rising 100-hour applications

Mr Kureeman is now appealing against the PCT's decision on the grounds that pharmaceutical needs in the area are not being met and that there has been a "significant loss of enhanced and advanced services" since the closure of the original pharmacy. "The PNA was published in 2011 so, at the time, it was deemed appropriate in terms of provision but, in light of the pharmacy closing, it should have been revised before being presented to the panel who decided [on my application]," said Mr Kureeman. However, NHS Surrey denied accusations that it used an out-of-date PNA, saying that it "frequently" updated documents and "absolutely" took into account the closure of the previous pharmacy.

But Pharmacy Voice chief executive Rob Darracott expressed concerns over the validity of PNAs. "Robust pharmaceutical needs assessments can be a really useful tool for service planning – robust being the operative word," he said, adding: "Pharmacy Voice has concerns about the quality and currency of some of the existing crop of PNAs."

The comments came after legal experts warned that proposed control of entry regulations, based on PNAs, were likely to mean PCTs would block new pharmacy applications.

Since rejecting Mr Kureeman's application, Surrey PCT said it had been contacted by "a number of local residents" expressing their disappointment at the decision.

NHS Surrey's head of medicines management Kevin Solomons acknowledged concerns over the outcome, but stressed: "We make decisions based on whether or not applications meet the necessary criteria and unfortunately this means sometimes applications will be unsuccessful."

Following Mr Kureeman's appeal, an independent review will be undertaken by the NHS Litigation Authority, which will make a final decision on the application.