The week starting 17th November was Self Care Week. On Friday Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust had a stall which provided answers to questions about carers' rights. On Wednesday, Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust who provide many of our community and mental health services, had a stall in Broad Street Mall, Reading offering advice and testing related to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) - persistent breathing and lung problems.

In a rushed vote on a provision added to the Care Bill at the last minute, on Monday 21st October, the House of Lords has voted to extend the powers of unelected Special Administrators appointed to fix failing trusts to reconfigure services at neighbouring trusts without extensive consultation. The Care Bill will return to the House opf Commons for final approval, probably in early November. This appears to be the death knell of "no decision about me, without me".

The Care Quality Commission has made a preliminary review of all 161 NHS acute hospital trusts to determine in what order to inspect them and has placed the Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust in the first group to be inspected. RBH scored (just) in the highest risk group of 44 trusts out of 161 The CQC's rating is based on 165 separate measures.

It is reported that Government amendments tabled in Pariament today to the Care Bill - due to have its third reading in the Lords on Monday - give the Government or Monitor the right to order any hospital they like to reconfigure - in other words, close - with little consultation, to benefit neighbouring struggling hospitals. Can it be such a little time from "no decision about me without me" to this?

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 30th October at the University Health Centre, 9, Northcourt Avenue, Reading RG2 7HE. The central feature will be a debate regarding the continued aims of the Patient Voice within the context of an engagement strategy for NHS South Reading CCG, proposed by our Lay CCG Board Member, Christopher Mott.