The Government has now confirmed that it will accept amendments to the Health Bill 2026 which will remove the clauses abolishing local and national Healthwatch, meaning that that independent patient voice will survive. A useful next step would be to ensure the continuation of the elected governors at NHS trusts with a representative membership selecting them.

The Oakwood unit is a rehabiliation ward of 24 beds on the same site as, but separate from the Prospect Park Hospital for patients with mental disorders. It is effectively Reading's Community hospital. According to the Reading Chronicle of 12th October the ward is to be closed and replaced by a 15-bed unit at Thatcham hospital, with provision for 6 further beds at Wokingham Community Hospital when demand is very high. The operator ot the Oakwood Unit is Berkshire Healthcare NHS Advanced Foundation Trust, which may well have pressing other uses for the site.

The BBC has reported that some GP practices including Emmer Green Surgery in Reading have lost website access with the collapse into administration of Footfall supplier, Silicon Practice.

Patients at Emmer Green Surgery and at the Parkside Practice branch surgery in Green Road now have to email. phone or visit the surgery to communicate with it.

No other Reading surgeries are thought to be affected.

Francis Brown has provided the following summary of the use of software packages by GP practices, which may be helpful:

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The Chief Medical Officer for England has issued guidance on the benefits of exercise and how to take it.