From the 15th May the way to access out-of-hours GP service in South Reading CCG area will be to phone 111 - the new NHS non-emergency number. This is a nationally designed service which will cover all non-emergency calls. 999 continues for emergency calls. The new 111 number is intended to take over completely from NHS Direct in South Reading by mid-June. Other parts of Berkshire West are on the same timetable.

Persistent venous leg ulcers are a troubling and often painful complaint. Treatment with light and honey, as offered by a small-scale local provider, is being offered under the NHS in the South Reading CCG area. Contact your GP surgery to find out if you could benefit from this therapy. This provision carries on a pilot started by the former West Berkshire Primary Care Trust in2012. At least some patients experienced positive results from that so the idea is to continue assessing this form of treatment. Honey has known anti-bacterial action - there is good reason behind this therapy.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 24th May 2013 The main presentation will be on Integrated Care and the services delivered in the community to support it. The work of the CCG Programme Boards will also be outlined. There will be a short report on developments in the CCG, on the "dry-run" CCG board meeting in March, and time for discussion of matters raised at the meeting (or preferably before). There will be elections for vice-chair and outreach officer. Anyone registered with a practice in the South Reading CCG area may attend.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 27th March 2013. The main topic for discussion will be how the South Reading Patient Voice should be working with the patient and public community and the CCG.

Reading Community Learning Centre will be offering free courses on English language skills for healthcare users. The first course starts in May. Each course has six sessions of three hours. The courses are being given in Central Reading and at New Directions South in Whitley and at the Warehouse, Cumberland Road, in East Reading. The first session is at the Warehouse, Cumberland Road, on Friday, 3rd May 2013 from 9.30am to 12.30.pm Learners on the course will learn English language skills.