South Reading Patient Voice has made a formal response to the Primary Care Strategy prepared by the four CCGs of Berkshire West. Please see the attached document for our full set of key messages - but here is a brief survey. Our area has quite a few small surgeries so facilities like extended opening hours and professional triage (having a health professional talk briefly with you to assess who should see you and how soon) will need either mergers or relocation to more modern premises. But we don't want access to be more difficult. The CCGs are planning to have a greater variety of health professionals working in surgeries and taking appointments, not just nurses but pharmacists and the new physicians associates. While Physicians Associates have a very detailed matrix of competences for taking appointments, making diagnoses and deciding treatment (and cannot write prescriptions without extended additional training), the situation does not seem so clear for Pharmacists so we ask for all professionals to work strictly within their recognised competences. The benefits of integrating health and social care will be best realised if GP surgeries play a full role, with records exchangeable between services, with patient consent.

The GP chair of South Reading CCG, Dr Ishak Nadeem, will be our speaker at the next South Reading Patient Voice meeting at 6pm on Wednesday, 25th November at 94, London Street, Reading RG1 4SJ. Please prepare and send in your questions about health and healthcare in South Reading. We will also be hearing your news from local Patient Participation Groups and GP practices and hope to hear more about planned changes in local healthcare. There will also be elections for Chair, Vice-chair and Information Officer - our 3 offices - and a chance to give views on how our group is doing.srpv/si

Public Health England has published its evidence based review of measures to reduce sugar consumption. Dr Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist for Public Health England said that children are consuming triple the recommended amount of sugar per day with adults consuming double. As Reading has high levels of dental decay and obesity in children measures recommended in this review could give particular benefits to our town and its children.

Dr Jim Kennedy, Medical Director of the Thames Valley Local Medical Committee of the British Medical Association will talk on "Who will see you now? Prospects for Doctors in the NHS" at the South Reading Patient Voice meeting on Wednesday, 28th October 2015 at 6pm at 94, London Street, Reading RG1 4SJ. There will also be news from Patient Participation Groups and from the South Reading CCG.

South Reading Patient Voice meets on Wednesday, 23rd September 2015 for elections of officers, a review of the year's activities and planning ahead for future meetings and activities. There will also be a review of the "key messages" on the Berkshire West Primary Care Strategy and news from Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) and the CCG.

A King's Fund blog says that NHS spending is being squeezed as never before. UK Health spending is falling as a proportion of GDP and has already reached 22nd place among nations.

The contract for South Reading and Shinfield Surgeries is to be relet. Patients views are requested. Patients at the surgeries please fill in this survey . The contract for the Broad Street Mall walk-in centre is also being relet.

There will be public events on 8th, 9th, 10th October 2015 at Reading and other places in Berkshire to mark World Mental Health Day, Saturday 10th October 2015. Click to find out more.

The Reading Health and Wellbeing Board will meet at 2pm on Friday, 9th October 2015, in the Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading. The agenda includes reviews of end of life care, Reading's community armed services covenant, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), joint working to support children and families, and Reading's Autism plan.

South Reading Patient Voice will meet on Wednesday, 28th October 2015 at 6pm at 94, London Street, RG1 4SJ The main speaker will be Dr Jim Kennedy, Medical Director of the Thames Valley Local Medical Committee of the British Medical Association, who will speak on prospects for doctors, especially GPs, in the NHS. We will also discuss local NHS issues, especially matters raised by local Patient Participation Groups. If not already a member, and wishing to attend, please contact us here.