According to the BBC NHS Winter tracker the week starting 28th November 2013 at Royal Berkshire Hospital brought many bed closures due to Norovirus and many cases of "bed blocking" where patients cannot be discharged for lack of immediate care facilities for them outside the hospital. The consequence has been longer waits in the Accident and Emergency department where attendances increased and admissions increased more. Please see the attached report for more details.

National Research by the Dr Foster group associated with Imperial College, London, as reported by the BBC, has suggested that the NHS is rationing elective operations such as knee replacements, hip replacements and cataract removals. With an ageing population the numbers of such operations could be expected to rise steadily.

Operation

S Reading CCG number 2010

S Reading CCG number 2012

Cataract Removal

387

305

Hip replacement

93

86

Knee replacement

84

85

 The board of the South Reading NHS Clinical Commissioning Group meets in public at 12:30pm - 16pm on Wednesday, 18th December at the the Reading Voluntary Association (RVA) at 16-18 Duke Street (entrance at the side of the Futon shop). The agenda and papers for the meeting will be available on the 11th December.

Reading's Health and Wellbeing Board meets in public on Friday 13th December at 2pm in the Kennet Room at the Civic Centre. The meeting will hear about

Readng Community Learning Centre will be making 17th December - 19th December, Nepali Health work. The centre is at 10, Eaton Place, Reading RG1 7LP. Look out for health information and blood pressure checks. The activities are free but nurse appointments must be made. See the attached poster below.