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This is a bumper edition newsletter packed with updates on our latest projects, local health news, and helpful information and advice. Click below to download our Feb/March newsletter in PDF format Join our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter by clicking on the link below. https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/?utm_campaign=1840cf8c-233d-4448-8570-bd0e8841176e&utm_source=so&utm_medium=lp#subscribe Other recent newsletter editions January 2026 Roundup: Click below

With the Easter Bank Holiday approaching, make sure you’re prepared! It’s important to order any repeat medications in advance as pharmacies are extra busy around Bank Holidays and opening hours may be different. The pharmacies listed below are expected to be open during the Easter holidays. While details are correct at the time of publishing, opening times may change, so it’s best to contact the pharmacy before visiting to confirm availability and stock.  You can also downlo

Wokingham Borough Council wants to hear from you as they need your help to shape a strategy to make physical activity more accessible for everyone across the borough. Whether you love walking or swimming, enjoy time in the garden or are training for a marathon, the council would like to understand: • What do you do to stay active • Where you are active • What matters to you • Any barriers you face • What would help you be more active To find out more and to fill out the surve

In June 2025, the government announced plans to close Healthwatch England and local Healthwatch organisations, with responsibilities expected to transfer through legislation to other parts of the system (subject to confirmation). Following this announcement, The King’s Fund has today published a report 'The Future of Patient Voice: Learning from the Healthwatch Model' (commissioned in part by Healthwatch England but developed independently by think tank The King’s Fund). The

Updates on 24th March: For the latest developments of the outbreak and for advice: Meningitis outbreak: what you need to know – UK Health Security Agency You may have seen reports of a meningitis outbreak in Kent, where two young people have sadly died and 13 people became ill over just three days. Most affected are sixth-form and university students. While outbreaks like this are rare, meningitis can spread quickly and become serious very fast, especially in shared spaces l

We are delighted to share a series of multilingual videos created by Alliance and Cohesion for Racial Equality ( ACRE ) in Reading, to help people access clear and trustworthy information about important vaccines. The videos cover the MMR vaccine (for both adults and children), flu, RSV and COVID-19 and are available below in Arabic, Nepali and Urdu to help reach more communities. About the video project Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB

It's so important that you feel supported as a new parent. Read the article below to find out where you can go to get the help you need. Your mental health is important, both for your wellbeing and your child’s. It’s important that you feel supported throughout your journey of becoming a parent and have a safe space to talk about how you are feeling. Take a look at the information below to find out where you can go to get the support you and your family need.  Are mental heal

From the end of March, people will start to notice some changes to the NHS App. According to NHS Digital, the app will begin to look different as updates are rolled out over the coming weeks. For some people, the update will happen automatically and others may see a message asking them to update the NHS App. What is changing? Several improvements have been made to make the NHS app easier to use: A new “App help” button at the top of each screen will take users directly to sup

On 26 February 2026, the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation published an interim report, sharing early findings and recommendations while the full investigation continues. Background The investigation was launched in June 2025 by Health Secretary Wes Streeting to review NHS maternity services in England. Led by Baroness Valerie Amos, its goal is to identify the “systemic causes of unacceptable care affecting women, babies, and families.” The investigati

What is the six-week postnatal check up for new mothers and why it’s important that you attend it? In this advice piece, we cover all the basic questions you may have about it. In 2020, NHS England launched a  6-week mental health check for new mothers  to ensure they feel well and have the support they need if they are struggling with their mental health.      What is the six-week postnatal check?    GPs must offer a six-week postnatal check to all new mothers and birthing p

At Healthwatch, we want to make sure every voice in our community is heard, especially those who are often underrepresented. We gathered feedback from 115 women from the South Asian community across the borough to learn more about their experiences with healthcare services. We chose to focus on South Asian women because they face some of the most significant health inequalities in the borough: Low screening rates : Cervical screening uptake among Pakistani and Bangladeshi wom

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe has confirmed that the UK has officially lost its measles-free (or “measles elimination”) status, based on 2024 data. It also reflects a steady decline in childhood vaccination rates over the past decade. What’s happening? Measles vaccination levels in the UK are well below what’s needed to stop the virus spreading. Only 84% of five-year-olds have received both recommended doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. To pr

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has launched its refreshed strategy to improve patient care over the next five years. 2,400 patients, community members, NHS trust staff, volunteers and partners have contributed to the refresh. The strategy focuses on the Trust, embracing the NHS’s 10-Year Health Plan to lead transformation. The trust says that through artificial intelligence and data, genomics, robotics and advanced diagnostics, it will harness the power of technology to

The NHS has published new national guidance to improve how eating disorders are identified and treated in children and young people. As part of this, NHS staff will train teachers, school nurses, and GPs to spot early warning signs and refer young people for help sooner. The guidance moves away from relying on BMI alone and instead focuses on behaviour changes, mental health and family concerns. What this means Eating disorders amongst children and young people have risen rap

Our first newsletter of 2026 is packed with updates on our latest projects, local health news, and helpful information and advice. Click below to download our January newsletter in PDF format Join our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter by clicking on the link below. https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/?utm_campaign=1840cf8c-233d-4448-8570-bd0e8841176e&utm_source=so&utm_medium=lp#subscribe Other recent newsletter editions December 2026 Roundup: Click below to do

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has announced the launch of its CAMHS Young People Group, with the first meeting taking place online, on Wednesday 25th February. The trust says the group will have the chance to give honest feedback and work alongside the CAMHS team to help shape care. Meeting details When? Wednesday 25 February What time? 6:00 – 7:30pm Where? Online (Microsoft Teams) Anyone aged 13–25 who has accessed a CAMHS service in Berkshire is welcome to join.

Jess’s Rule is a new patient safety initiative being displayed in every GP surgery in England from this week onwards. It is designed to help doctors spot serious illnesses earlier by encouraging them to take a "fresh eyes" approach when symptoms continue. How it works Strike One:  A patient visits their GP with symptoms. Strike Two:  The patient returns because the symptoms continue or worsen. Strike Three:  The patient attends again and there is still no clear diagnosis. At

Healthcare charity Sue Ryder has been awarded a major new NHS contract to grow its compassionate palliative and end-of-life care services across Wokingham Borough, Reading, Newbury and South Oxfordshire.    Starting in January 2026, the new services will help more local people living with life-limiting conditions access palliative and end-of-life care to manage their symptoms, provide comfort, and improve their quality of life, often in their own home.  These services include

Our final newsletter of 2025 is packed with updates on our latest projects, local health news, and helpful information and advice. Click below to download our November newsletter in PDF format. Join our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter by clicking on the link below. https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/?utm_campaign=1840cf8c-233d-4448-8570-bd0e8841176e&utm_source=so&utm_medium=lp#subscribe Other recent newsletter editions November 2025 Roundup: Click below to

The NHS is launching a new online hospital service, called NHS Online, designed to make it quicker and easier for people to access specialist care without always needing to visit a hospital in person. It will begin seeing its first patients next year, aiming to modernise healthcare by using digital technology, while still keeping face-to-face appointments available for those who need or prefer them. What will NHS Online do? Patients will be able to: Be referred by their GP to