South Reading Patient Voice will be meeting at 6pm on Wednesday, 26th April at 94, London Street, Reading RG14SJ - Reading Community Learning Centre. We will discuss holding a Health and Social Care Hustings in the General Election and what sort of questions should be put to the candidates.

Western Berkshire CCGs are consulting on their implementation of the nationally announced policy of ending the prescription of certain common medicines and special foods - such as paracetamol and gluten-free foods.You can answer a consultation on this by clicking here . The consultation also asks about changes and restrictions on repeat prescriptions and on the prescribing of vitamins, suplements, sunscreen and camouflage preparations. The consultation ends on 28th April 2017.

Western Berkshire, covering Reading, Wokingham and Newbury areas, has been selected as one of 9 areas (most others are STP areas) to have early Accountable Care Systems status. This gives the area full control over more of its funding, including primary care and specialist care and delivers more freedom for the commissioners. NHS providers in the
area will integrate horizontally to improve patient treatment pathways. GP practices are expected to integrate into units serving 30,000 to 50,000 patients which can deliver a wide variety of services to their population. The emphasis will be more on integration and cooperation than on competitive tendering.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

GP surgeries in Reading are working in groups to provide larger units which can offer additional treatments and services and extended hours.

The new Integrated Care System for the western part of Berkshire, under chair Luke March, has produced a draft strategy for the NHS in western Berkshire. The document is available below.