The CQC has issued its report on its inspection of the Royal Berkshire Hospital Their overall rating was "requires improvement".

The venerable Washington-based Commonwealth Fund has given the National Health Service high rankings in a study comparing the health-care systems of eleven developed nations, including USA, NZ, Canada, France, Sweden and Germany. The NHS came top overall and top for effective care, safe care, coordinated care, patient-centred care, access despite cost and efficiency. Furthermore, out of 11 only Sweden and New Zealand were cheaper in cost per head.

Public Health Reading in conjunction with Berkshire Youth will be running 5 "Let's Get Going" courses in Reading primary schools in the academic year 2014-15 as part of its action on childhood obesity. The courses are suitable for kids of ages 7 to 11 and can involve parents as well as children in learning about healthy food and activity.. The schools will be chosen on the basis of the Public Health childhood measurement programme.

South Reading Clinical Commissioning Group holds its Ammual Meeting on 2nd July 2014.from 1pm to 2.30pm at the Museum of English Rural Life, Craven Road, Reading RG1 5EX.

Macmillan Cancer Support and the Royal Berks NHS Foundation Trust have organised a feedback session for those caring for a friend or family member living with or after cancer.

Carers are invited to the sesion to help develop services to support carers. This will take place from 10am-12pm on Wednesday, 25th June, at Earley Crescent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive, Reading RG6 4HB.

To attend or to find out more contact Natalie Thomas, Macmillan Well-Being Support Worker on 07799891409 or mailto://hwp-tr.MacmillanwellBeing@nhs.net.

The Governing Body of South Reading CCG met in public on 4th June with Dr Ishak Nadeem in the chair as Dr Elizabeth Johnston was on leave

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 25th June 2014 at 6pm at the Communicare office behind Wycliffe Baptist Church, Cemetery Junction (see attached Agenda for directions) .

IN an interview on 31st May 2014 in the Daily Telegraph, Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, signalled a change of thinking on centralisation, ahead of a major speech. He said, "The NHS must stop closing cottage-style hospitals and return to treating more patients in their local communities".

Mr Stevens warned that British hospitals have become among the worst in western Europe at caring for local populations, because too many services have been stripped out and centralised.

Thames Valley NHS England has written to the new head of NHS England, Simon Stevens, asking for a lay/patient representative to have a place on the board of NHS England. The text of the letter to Simon Stevens is below:

Dear Mr Stevens,.

The Patient Partnership Leads of the Strategic Clinical Networks, along with Area team and other colleagues, offer you a very positive welcome to NHS England.

The Governing Body of the South Reading NHS CCG will meet in public from 9.00am to 12.30am on Wednesday, 4th June 2014 at the Museum of English Rural Life in Redlands Road, Reading. Papers on strategy, patient engagement, quality and safety, finance and new services will be presented. The papers will be available at the CCG website from midday on 28th May. There is an opportunity to submit questions for the Governing Body which can relate to any aspect of NHS care funded through the CCG.