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.

South Reading Patient Voice will meet at 6pm on Wednesday, 29 th March 2017 at RCLC, 94, London Street RG1 4SJ to hear how patient records will become accessible from all treatment sites through the Connected Care programme from Project Manager John Devine. We will also hear news from Patient Participation Groups around the CCG area and from Healtwatch Reading.

We understand that the two practices at Milman Road are likely to merge. Melrose Surgery is also likely to merge with London Road Surgery, followed by closure of London Road Surgery - patients of London Road Surgery may be able to choose whether to transfer to Melrose Surgery, or Kennet, Pembroke or Eldon Road practices.