Carers week 2014 takes place in Reading from 9th to 15th June. See the attached programme of events for a range of activities covering a wide spectrum of carers' concerns, including advice on Carers Allowance, picnic by the Thames and introduction to new technology to support carers.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 28th May 2014 at 6pm at the Communicare office behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction (see attached Agenda for directions) . Our main item will be a talk and discussion on Reading's Health and Well-being led by Councillor Graeme Hoskin, present lead Councillor for Health and Wellbeing. There will also be an election for officers. Please see the attached Agenda for other items.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 28th May 2014 at 6pm at the Communicare office behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction (see attached Agenda for directions) . Our main item will be a talk and discussion on Reading's Health and Well-being led by Councillor Graeme Hoskin, present lead Councillor for Health and Wellbeing. There will also be an election for officers. Please see the attached Agenda for other items.

We are informed that the new Chief Executive of the Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will be Jean O'Callaghan. Jean's background is as Director of the South Australian Health Commission and then as chief executive of Bedford Hospital then Dorset County Hospital. We wish her all success in this important post and look forward to hearing her ideas on the development of RBH and its place in our local health services.

Data is a valuable resource in the NHS. Careful study of the statistics of disease and mortality can lead to understanding that saves lives - like the understanding that smoking cigarettes can cause lung cancer. Data relating to hospital episodes has been collected and studied for many years. The new "Care.Data" program is intended to allow data held at GP surgeries to be studied in a similar way. Data is to be anonymised and linked to hospital and other medical data and permission is given for this on a project by project basis.