Reading Patient Voice Group meets at 6pm on Wednesday 16th July to hear Prof Carol Wagstaff of Reading University talking about work on health inequalities with Berkshire Healthcare. We will also discuss our preliminary contacts with the Patient Voice groups of West Berkshire and Wokingham, first thoughts on the NHS 10-year plan and local healthcare matters.

Please find below the agenda for the meeting.

After consultation starting in late 2024 and the Government's 3-year Spending Review, the NHS 10-year plan for health in England is published.

Please click here to access the plan in various formats and its executive summary.

Corrected 10 July 205 to reflect uncertainty as to how local Healthwatch will be carried forward.

According to BBC reports the Government is to abolish over 200 supervisory organisations in the health service, including Healthwatch England, the Office of the National Guardian, which is supposed to support whistleblowers and offer training related to whistle blowing and the Health Services Safety Investigations Board.

It is unclear how local Healthwatch bodies, such as Healthwatch Reading, will go forward.

BOB Integrated Care Board has made arrangements for the Urgent Care Centre at Broad Street Mall to be moved to the Royal Berkshire Hospital main site at Craven Road, Reading from 1st July 2025. The facility is no longer a walk-in facility. Patients must phone 111 or use 111.nhs.uk online to obtain advice and direction to an appropriate facility, which may include referral to the Urgent Care Centre. Patients could also be referred there by the Royal Berks A&E department or their GP surgery.

BOB Integrated Care Board has made arrangements for the Urgent Care Centre at Broad Street Mall to be moved to the Royal Berkshire Hospital from 1st July 2025. The facility is no longer a walk-in facility.