We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 24th September 2014 at 6pm in the lower meeting room behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction (see forthcoming Agenda for directions) . Our main item will be a talk and discussion led by Dr Elizabeth Johnston, retiring chair of the South Reading CCG Governing Body, on the experiences and lessons from leading eight years of clinical commissioning for South Reading, up to the first years of operation of the South Reading Clinical Commissioning Group under the new NHS structure.

 We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 24th September 2014 at 6pm in the Communicare Office behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction (see forthcoming Agenda for directions) . Our main item will be a talk and discussion led by Dr Elizabeth Johnston, retiring chair of the South Reading CCG Governing Body, on the experiences and lessons from leading eight years of clinical commissioning for South Reading, up to the first years of operation of the South Reading Clinical Commissioning Group under the new NHS structure.

Public Health departments of Berkshire local authorities are preparing a Suicide Prevention Strategy for Berkshire West CCGs and Local Authorities. A report on suicide can be read on the Reading Healthwatch web site. After stakeholder consultation in July/August 2014, the strategy will be presented to CCGs for approval in August/September 2014, and to Health and Wellbeing Boards of local authorities in December 2014. Comments could be forwarded to Karen Grannum, Manager at South Reading CCG.

At the SRPV meeting on 30th July 2014 members heard John Taylor, Acting Commercial Director of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Foundation Trust describe how the Trust's new five-year plan differs from its plans a year ago. Slide 3 of the attached document shows that the plan agreed with the 4 Berkshire West CCGs proposes increases in A&E activity of 7% over 5 years (as opposed to 20-33% in last year's plan) and births at RBH would rise to 6000 a year by 2019 (as opposed to 8000 a year as proposed last year). The CCGs are hoping to manage the demand for A&E and RBH maternity services to meet the new plan which they have pressed for. The CCGs do have plans to move care into the community - but it remains to be seen whether these figures can be achieved. Even with the revised plan the Trust is likely to move into deficit beyond 2017. The future of the Trust will be in the hands of local and national government and it will be up to the people of Berkshire West, served by the Trust, ultimately to decide its future.

South Reading CCG's Governing Body will hold its next meeting on Wednesday 3rd September 2014 at 9.30am - 12.30am at the Museum of English Rural Life in Redlands Road, RG1 5EX. Please see the South Reading CCG website. The agenda and papers should be available at the South Reading CCG website a week before the meeting. There is a chance to put questions to the Governing Body about health care services in South Reading.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 30th July 2014 at 6pm at the lower meering room (down steps from car park) behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction. Our main topic will be a presentation and diiscussion on the Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust's development plan, led by John Taylor, Acting Commercial Director. We will collect comments on the CCG's Plan On A Page for 2014-15. There will also be an opportunity to raise matters relating to practice participation groups and patient experience.

Have you got a health experience to tell the NHS? Or want to read other people's stories about the NHS? Just go to the Patient Opinion website. To see a video about this web site click here

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 30th July 2014 at 6pm at the lower meeting room (down steps from car park) behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction. Our main topic will be a presentation and diiscussion on the Royal Berkshire Hospital Foundation Trust's development plan, led by John Taylor, Acting Commercial Director. We will collect comments on the CCG's Plan On A Page for 2014-15. There will also be an opportunity to raise matters relating to practice participation groups and patient experience.

A study by the Royal College of Surgeons shows that in 2010-11 some CCGs provided no surgery to over-75 year old patients for a number of prevalent conditions. This finding raises the concern that an informal, and since last year, illegal curb has been placed on such surgery. For example, in 2010-11 Bradford City CCG commissioned no surgery for breast cancer excision, for gall bladder removal or for knee replacement. While there is always a balance of risk and benefit with surgery the study shows wide variation between CCG areas. For further information read the report in the Daily Telegraph or the original Royal College of Surgeons report.

The CQC has issued its report on its inspection of the Royal Berkshire Hospital Their overall rating was "requires improvement". A&E, End of Life care and services for children and young people were rated as good while medical, surgical, maternity and critical care were rated with "requires improvement". Areas found to be of outstanding practice were: 
 

1. Caring interventions and support for families in the Intensive Care Unit
2. The childrens' A&E department
3. Consultant geriatricians worked in the A&E department from 8am to 8pm seven days a week.