Under the Lansley "reforms" in 2013, NHS commissioners were allowed and encouraged to award contracts for the provision of certain services to "any qualified provider". Audiology, the assessment of hearing and the provision of hearing aids, was one of those services and Specsavers was the provider most prominently known for providing that service. We understand that this arrangement has been brought to an end locally on medical grounds. Commissioners have decided that audiology will now be provided by the Royal Berkshire Hospital locally at 8 sites (to be specified).

 We remind readers that they should no longer be asked to phone back another day or time when phoning to arrange a GP appointment. In March this year the government and NHS England imposed the GP contract after negotiations with the BMA broke down. The new contract specifies that practices must not ask callers to call back another day.

The Covid-19 and flu Autumn booster campaign will start on 11th September with vaccinations in care homes and through local bookings. The national NHS booking site will bcome available on 18th September. It is recommended that the flu and Covid-19 vaccinations be given together, though this is not mandatory. Those eligible for the Covid-19 booster are:

The BOB Integrated Care Board will meet in public from 10am to 13.00 in the Gateway offices of Bucks Council in Aylesbury and online via Teams. To receive the Teams meeting link please register at this page. Questions may be put up to 9am on the Monday before the meeting by email to bobicb.enquiries@nhs.net. The collection of papers is attached below.

South Reading Patient Voice meets on Tuesday 19th September 2023 at 6pm in committee Room 4a, Civic Offices, Bridge Street. Our speaker will be Marta Fischer, digital lead for the Integrated Care Board, who will talk about, "BOB ICS Digital Projects update and NHS App Roadmap". We will also discuss local news, report on the Integrated Care Board meeting on the morning of 19th September, the results of the annual GP patient survey and the taking in-house of Audiology and hope to have news of local PPGs and the local NHS.