We feel it is important to reach out to listen to people with an open agenda - so - just as a pilot survey - we are asking for views on unmet medical need. Please take our survey: Survey on Unmet Medical Need Thank you

According to Health Service Journal, internal draft guidance from NHS England to healthcare trusts advise: "Trusts should continue to actively explore and develop opportunities to grow their external (non-NHS) income Private patient services continue to be a significant source of material opportunity in the NHS." Demand for private treatment has risen during the pandemic with provider Spires reporting income up 80% since 2019. The NHS waiting list for treatment is currently at 6 million and may reach 14 million before it starts to come down.

Reading's annual Health Inequalities conference will be held from 11.30am to 1pm on Thursday 31st March 2022. Please see the information flyer available below. The meeting is organised by Utulivu. Speakers from Reading Borough Council, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and the University of Reading will be among those giving presentations use Meeting ID: 767 479 2806 Passcode: 689916

 South Reading Patient Voice will be at Southcote Wellbeing Day. We are hoping to talk to people about unmet need from the NHS.

The national inquiry into the handling of Covid-19 has published draft terms of reference for.consultation. The consultation is open until 7th April. For more about this click here .

South Reading Patient Voice meets at 6pm on Wed 16th March 2022 online via Zoom. Alison Foster, MA, RMN, Programme Director - Building Berkshire Together - Hospital Redevelopment will talk about the Royal Berkshire Redevelopment Programme. To attend please contact Information Officer, Tom Lake

The combined Primary Care Commissioning Committees of the BOB Integrated Care System meet from 10am - 12noon on Thursday 17th March. To observe the meeting please click on this link . See below for papers.

Reading's Health and Wellbeing board meets at 2pm on Friday 18th March 2022 via Microsoft Teams. The agenda covers Covid-19 impact, matters relating to the organisation of the nascent Integrated Care System, integrated working between local authority and NHS, the new joint Health and Wellbeing strategy for Berkshire West as a whole, an update on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment an input to NHS planning and the state of health in Reading. To observe the meeting please email NIcky Simpson at nicky.simpson@reading.gov.uk 

South Reading Patient Voice meets at 6pm on Wednesday, 16th February to discuss matters relating to our local NHS.

Currently UK Health Security Agency publishes Covid-19 case counts for England by giving the number of first infections only. But with Omicron variant many people are being re-infected. From 31st January 2022 the case count will count episodes of Covid-19 infection. A new episode starts with a Covid-19 positive test more than 90 days from the last positive Covid-19 test. Click here for the formal announcement.