Western Berkshire CCGs are consulting on their implementation of the nationally announced policy of ending the prescription of certain common medicines and special foods - such as paracetamol and gluten-free foods.You can answer a consultation on this by clicking here . The consultation also asks about changes and restrictions on repeat prescriptions and on the prescribing of vitamins, suplements, sunscreen and camouflage preparations. The consultation ends on 28th April 2017.

Western Berkshire, covering Reading, Wokingham and Newbury areas, has been selected as one of 9 areas (most others are STP areas) to have early Accountable Care Systems status. This gives the area full control over more of its funding, including primary care and specialist care and delivers more freedom for the commissioners. NHS providers in the area will integrate horizontally to improve patient treatment pathways. GP practices are expected to integrate into units serving 30,000 to 50,000 patients which can deliver a wide variety of services to their population.

 Lise Llewllyn, lead Public Health consultant for Berkshire, has prepared her annual report on Reading. The report reviews the main causes of preventable deaths in Reading, comparing local with national figures. A startling point made by Dr Llewellyn is that "Smoking accounts for 90% of health inequalities".

BBC Radio Berkshire will host the Brighter Berkshire Year of Mental Health campaign 2017 on Monday 20th March 11am-1pm, with a programme featuring childrens' mental health. Look out for these monthly broadcasts through 2017. Find out more about the Brighter Berkshire campaign. Find out more about the Brighter Berkshire campaign on Twitter. Sign up to the Brighter Berkshire mailing list

The Reading Borough Health and Wellbeing Board meets in the Council Chamber at the Civic Offices, Bridge Street, at 2pm on Friday, 24th March 2017. Topics to be addressed include the BOB STP, the Berkshire Suicide Prevention Strategy, the Connected Care strategy and aspects of Public Health. Click here for the agenda. Click here for the full papers for the meeting.