Chris Hopson, in a letter to the Health Secretary, said that the current winter pressures marked a watershed moment for the NHS and that the Government must accept that the service could no longer deliver what was required of it under current funding. He said that key decision on increased funding were needed by the 2018 budget in November at the latest. Read more here.

On 11th January 2018 the Care Quality Commission gave the Royal Berkshire Hospital, which it had inspected at the end of 2017, a rating of Outstanding, although it was only able to give the Trust as a whole a rating of Good since it had not inspected the four satellite locations of the Trust. Click here to read the full report.

The Reading Health and Wellbeing Board meets in the Civic Offices on Bridge Street at 2pm on Friday, 19th Janaury 2018 .

From reports by The Guardian" and also the BBC we learn that hospitals have been instructed to some planned operations to free up hospital beds for an expected surge in in-patients over the winter months. As yet we have no information about the application of this instruction locally.

Reading Borough Council are seeking views from people who use health and social care services, to understand the likely impact of commissioning a single Local Healthwatch for Reading and Wokingham. The consultation is being conducted by Reading Borough Council on behalf of both councils involved and will run from Tuesday 19 December 2017 to Tuesday 6 February 2018. Have your say and let them know your views. The consultation questionnaire can be completed at: www.reading.gov.uk/yourlocalhealthwatch.