South Reading Patient Voice will have its Xmas and New Year social on Wednesday, 19th December. Invitations have been sent by email to members - please reply with your requirements by Friday 14th December.

Berkshire West Primary Care Commissioning Committee Meets on Wednesday, 9th January at 57-59, Bath Road, Reading RG30 2BA. Please register here or phone 0118 982 2922 by noon on 8th Janiary to attend. Questions relating to the agenda should be submitted by email to bwccg.enquiries@nhs.net or by phone to 0118 892 2922.

Reading Health and Wellbeing Board meets on Friday, 18th January 2019 at 2pm in the Civic Officers, Bridge Street, Reading. Printed copies of the papers will not be provided (apart from the agenda) so please arrange your own printed or electronic copies.

South Reading Patient Voice will meet at 6pm on Wednesday, 31st January 2018 at 94, London Street RG1 4SJ (please use rear door through car park) to hear speakers from Reading Voluntary Action to hear about the influence of loneliness and isolation on health and discuss plans for improving these aspects of people's lives. The meeting is open to all patients living in the South Reading Clinical Commissioning Group area (most of Reading South of the River Thames) and others by invitation. We will also discuss news about our local health and social care system including reports from Patient Participation Groups at GP practices.

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. A few of the highlights of the report: The internal culture of the Trust clearly evidenced an exceptional and outstanding approach to delivering care and treatment, making patients and relatives feel valued, involved and empowered. Of particular note is the consistency of this culture, displayed by staff of all grades and disciplines, by governors, by the large body of volunteers, and by the senior executive team. Cardiology had the most effective 24/7 heart attack service nationally for seven consecutive years. . The Stroke Unit was rated overall A. Ortho-geriatrics is in the top quartile nationally for best practice tariff achievement, length of stay and 30 day mortality rate.

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.

Fiona Wise is the new executive lead of the Western Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Sustainable Transformation Partnership. Ms Wise has extensive experience leading several NHS trusts.