Covid and 'Flu vaccinations are now being given.

Covid boosters are available for those over 75, the immuno-suppressed over 6 months and residents of care homes for older adults. NHS vaccinations can given at your GP surgery, and at pharmacies. Ring 119 for the national booking service if your GP surgery or pharmacy are not offering the vaccinations.

The free NHS 'Flu vaccine is available for:
 

• those aged 65 or over (including those who will be 65 by 31 March 2026)
• those who have certain long-term health conditions
• those who are pregnant
• those who live in a care home
• those who are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer's allowance
• those who live with someone who has a weakened immune system
• children aged 2 or 3
• school age children
• children with certain long-term conditions

Children are generally offered the nasal spray version of the vaccine.

The BOB Integrated Care Board meets in public at 13.30 - 16.00 on Tuesday 18th November 2025. It may be that this will cover Berkshire East as well as Berkshire West, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Questions for the board should be sent to

Every year the polling firm Ipsos-Mori conducts an extensive survey of patient experience at GP surgeries for NHS England.

You can see some results for this year at this page

. More detailed results can be found on the spreadsheets attached here.

Russell Street Group Practice currently operates 3 branches, at 79 Russell Street, in a dedicated building at 80. Wensley Road in Coley Park and in Burghfield. They are losing their lease in Russell Street on 1st November 2025 and are expanding and modernising the surgery building in Coley Park to accommodate more patients.

Reading Patient Voice Group officers Francis Brown and Tom Lake at the Coley Park surgery on the open day with practice manager Kamlesh Patel and Dr Magesh Arthanari.

The extended and refurbished surgery building at Coley Park will have on-site parking for patients. Public transport is via the 11 bus route from Central Reading. The surgery will have 7 consultation rooms and a treatment room. There is a pharmacy nearby on Wensley Road.

Watch out for the official opening in October!

After consultation starting in late 2024 and the Government's 3-year Spending Review, the NHS 10-year plan for health in England is published.

Please click here to access the plan in various formats and its executive summary.

For an easier introduction try:
 

• Listening to Roy Lilley's 8-minute review
• Reading the executive summary
• Reading a summary and analysis from the NHS Confederation (29pages)
• Reading an exposition of the plan from the King's Fund
• Reading a response from the Nuffied Trust