Our national body Healthwatch England has used the experiences of care from over 10 million people across the UK (including residents in Wokingham Borough) collected over the past ten years and created a bold vision for the NHS in 2030. Find out where we think the NHS should be in six years and how it can get there. Where we are now Healthwatch England are presenting this vision at a time when the NHS faces the most significant pressures in its history. It's not surprising that confidence that the NHS can provide for everyone is being undermined, with 43% of people believing the NHS cannot meet the whole country's needs. Our vision therefore calls for a focus on three key themes: Making the NHS easier to access and navigate. Tackling health inequalities. Building a patient-centred culture. Making the NHS easier to access and navigate We all want to be seen quickly when we have new symptoms or concerns about our health. But alongside quicker access, patients also want simplicity at each touchpoint with the NHS. People told us they felt admin and communication can be slow, inefficient and sometimes lacking empathy. We want the NHS to consistently adopt an ‘excellent customer service’ ethos, ensuring people can get their queries answered and appointments booked. We also want patients to be able to access real-time information about their care, and have a two-way dialogue with those responsible for their care. Tackling health inequalities Health inequalities in England are stark and growing. Those living in the most deprived areas can expect to live in good health for a far shorter period compared to those in the least deprived areas. Multiple factors create these inequalities, but in healthcare people experience varying quality of care. We want the NHS to provide excellent care for everyone. Gaps in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between the most well off and deprived areas should be falling by 2030. We are also calling for Integrated Care Systems to work with local councils to ensure communities get advice and support to prevent ill health, and that people with extra communication needs receive full support every time they interact with the NHS. Building a patient-centred culture in the NHS The majority of patients told us they felt respected by healthcare professionals. However, we see that the care experience varies considerably. The NHS still has a culture focused on the system’s business – not that of the patients. By 2030, we want a fundamental shift in the culture of the NHS so that there is a greater focus on listening to patients and acting on their experiences to improve care today and in the future. Downloads Download the full report Share your views, thoughts and experiences on local NHS services with us here.

You're invited to come and celebrate International Women's Day at Radstock Community Centre with us on Friday 8 March from 11am. This event is hosted by local charities Utulivu Women's Group and Project Salma. It will be a morning and afternoon full of dance, talks, refreshments and the chance to meet other locals from across Wokingham Borough. Everyone is welcome and you can pop along at any time. You do not have to register to attend this event. We hope to see you there... Radstock Lane Community Centre, Radstock Lane, RG6 5UL is located opposite the Town Council Offices and within the grounds of Radstock Primary School. There is parking available onsite. What is International Women's Day? With well over a century of history and change, the first International Women's Day (IWD) was held in March 1911. IWD isn't country, group or organization-specific. It's a day of collective global activism and celebration that belongs to all those committed to forging women's equality. World-renowned feminist, journalist and activist, Gloria Steinem, reportedly once explained: "The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights." International women's day aims to promote a gender-equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable and inclusive and a world where difference is valued and celebrated. The theme for this year is #InspireInclusion celebrating women's achievement and raising awareness about discrimination. Today is about taking action to drive gender parity. When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. Contact details To find out more about International Women's Day you can visit their website.

The team will shortly create a work plan for the coming year (April 2024 - March 2025). We want your help deciding what project areas we should focus on to help make changes to local health and social care services. Just fill out our short survey and tick the three projects that matter most to you by Sunday 23rd March. You can also leave comments and other project ideas for us to consider. Click here to complete the survey. You can read our current work plan (April 2023-March 2024), by clicking here. Thank you for your time.

If you missed our Advisory Group meeting in public at the start of February, you can now listen to the replay and view the presentation, below. About our meetings Our Advisory Group is made up of volunteer members with a connection to Wokingham Borough. The group works alongside the staff team playing an important role in setting and maintaining our direction in the work we do, and ensuring we provide the best possible service to you and the local community. Our meetings in public are an opportunity for you to find out about the work we are doing and for us to answer your submitted questions. For more information and to view the meeting minutes, please click here. If you have any questions for the team, please get in touch with us here.

We’re delighted to be hosting our very first coffee morning for all residents across the borough next Tuesday. It’s your chance to pop by and meet our engagement officers and other locals over a cup of tea or coffee, and other free refreshments if you're seeking advice, information or support on local health and social care services. We are also here to hear your concerns, views and experiences (good or bad) about these services. This feedback will be shared anonymously with the leaders and decision-makers of the local health and social care services to make improvements for everyone. It's a great opportunity for you to have your voice heard and make a difference. Everyone is welcome, including families. We have activities and toys for children. You do not need to sign up to attend, just pop along from 11.30am onwards. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday. More future dates will be announced shortly. Please pass this on to your friends, families and networks. Contact details You can contact us by email at enquiries@healthwatchwokingham.co.uk or by contacting the office on 0118 418 1418.

From today patients across Wokingham Borough will be able to get treatment for seven common conditions at high street pharmacies across the UK without needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care and services. Highly trained pharmacists will be able to assess and treat patients for: sinusitis sore throat earache infected insect bite impetigo shingles uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65) without the need for a GP appointment or prescription. It builds on the successful expansion of the contraceptive pill service in December 2023, with more than 5,000 pharmacies now registered to offer women the chance to get a supply of oral contraception over the counter from their pharmacy without needing first to see their GP. In future, the NHS expects almost half a million women a year to receive their contraception from their high street pharmacist. What does this mean locally? Over 400 pharmacists will have been trained for the Pharmacy First service by the middle of March across the Southern Counties which includes Berkshire ( and pharmacists in Wokingham Borough). Every pharmacy locally has opted into the Pharmacy First service. All practices have up-to-date information on which pharmacies are providing the Pharmacy First service and will make referrals to the appropriate pharmacy based on patient choice and the appropriate pharmacy. Should a patient walk into the pharmacy, and that pharmacy is unable to provide the Pharmacy First service, the patient will be signposted to another pharmacy, as training continues. Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “GPs are already treating millions more people every month than before the pandemic, but with an ageing population and growing demand, we know the NHS needs to give people more choice and make accessing care as easy as possible. “People across England rightly value the support they receive from their high street pharmacist, and with eight in ten living within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy and twice as many pharmacies in areas of deprivation, they are the perfect spot to offer people convenient care for common conditions. “This is great news for patients – from today you can pop into one of more than 10,000 high street pharmacies in England to get a consultation on seven common conditions including ear-ache, a sore throat or sinusitis at a convenient time, with many pharmacies open late into the evening. Community pharmacies already play a vital role in keeping their local communities healthy and well. And pharmacists are now ramping up the number of life-saving blood pressure checks given to at-risk patients over the next year with a commitment to deliver 2.5 million a year by Spring 2025 – up from 900,000 carried out in 2022. It is estimated this could prevent more than 1,350 heart attacks and strokes in the first year. The Government has made £645 million of new funding available to support the continued expansion of community pharmacy services. one to the development of other NHS clinical services in the future, as patients become familiar with going to their local pharmacy for primary care.” Louise Ansari, Chief Executive, Healthwatch England, said: “As with access to the contraceptive pill announced last month, patients will welcome the extension of pharmacy services to include common conditions. It will offer them greater flexibility and provide a safe alternative to seeing a GP, which we know remains a real challenge for many people across England. “It will, however, take time for pharmacists to get trained and ready for change. Patients and GP services need up to date information on which of their local pharmacies are offering direct supply of medicines for one, some, or all seven of the new conditions. Investment in a national campaign to raise awareness of the new services and build trust in pharmacists will also be essential and, crucially, this will need to reach all communities to be effective.” Share your views, thoughts and experiences with us here.

Everyone is welcome to attend our Advisory Group meeting in public which is being delivered online (Teams) and in-person at Wokingham Charity and Community Hub. This meeting is an opportunity for you to meet the Advisory Group and the Healthwatch team, and to find out about our recently completed project work, and more. About our meetings Our Advisory Group works alongside us playing an important role in setting and maintaining our strategic direction, and ensuring we provide the best possible service to you and the local community. Our meetings in public are an opportunity for you to find out about the work we are doing and for us to answer your submitted questions. Meeting details Tuesday 6 February 2024: 10.30am - 12.00pm You will need to register to attend our Advisory Group meeting whether in person or online. Spaces are limited. Please submit your questions for the team by Thursday 1st February if you'd like an answer on the day. How to join the meeting Please contact us if wish to attend this meeting and to submit your questions. When you register with us you'll receive joining details for online attendance via Teams and further location details if attending the meeting in person at the Wokingham Community and Charity Hub. Call our office: 0118 418 1418 Email enquiries@healthwatchwokingham.co.uk Papers for the Advisory Group meeting You can download the agenda for the meeting below. It is currently subject to change. Minutes from this meeting in public will be published on the Governance page of our website.

Here at Healthwatch Wokingham Borough we want everyone living and working in the borough to get the health services they need. Most healthcare in the UK is provided by the National Health Service (NHS). Wokingham Borough Council has produced a welcome pack to provide general information to people who have newly arrived in the borough and want to know how the local healthcare system works. The welcome pack is now available in different languages which follow below: · English (PDF document) · Amharic (PDF document) · Chinese - Traditional (PDF document) · Kurdish (PDF document) · Persian (PDF document) · Spanish - Latin American (PDF document) · Tigrinya (PDF document) · Urdu (PDF document) The council has also produced a Webinar in Cantonese on healthcare in the UK for new residents from Hong Kong. Other information and resources The NHS website also has lots of information about healthcare topics and services including pregnancy, available in different languages. Visit the NHS webpage – Health information in other languages. The NHS's web pages for people Visiting or Moving to England. Doctors of the World also provide easily accessible translated healthcare information and videos for people, on topics such as oral health and COVID 19 . For translated health information, click here. You can find out information on your rights to accessing an interpreter, in our advice article here. If you need more information, or advice and have questions, please contact the team: Email: enquiries@healthwatchwokingham.co.uk Phone: 0118 418 1418 Online form, click here.

Cervical cancer screenings save at least 2,000 lives every year in the UK. Here's what you should expect from your smear test and why these screenings are important. One in 142 women in the UK will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in their lifetime. A cervical cancer screening, better known as a smear test, can detect the development of abnormal cells in the cervix and prevent cervical cancer. Who is eligible? All women and people with a cervix are eligible for a cervical cancer screening. This includes Trans men and non-binary people who are assigned female at birth and registered with their GP as female. Screenings will occur at regular intervals between the ages of 25 and 64. If you're 25 to 49, invites to screenings will be every three years. For those aged 50 to 64, this will be every five years. What to expect A smear test should take around five minutes, and the whole appointment should take at most ten minutes. A female GP or nurse will carry out the test, but if you have any concerns, contact your GP practice or sexual health clinic ahead of your appointment, and they will work with you. The smear test may feel uncomfortable, but it should not be painful. If you experience pain during the exam, inform the GP or nurse attending you immediately. Many people put off booking or attending their smear test because they're not sure what to expect. Healthcare professionals conducting the exam will ensure you feel comfortable and safe and will be happy to talk you through the procedure. Talk to someone A smear test is a very personal procedure, which can be off-putting for some. You can talk to someone about the test if you feel embarrassed or worried. Sometimes it's easier to speak to someone you don't know. Your GP or nurse can talk you through what to expect, addressing any concerns or worries about the test. You may want to contact an organisation that provides information and support about having cervical screening if you're unable to speak with your GP practice: Eve Appeal offers information and support for anyone affected by gynaecological cancers. It also provides information about cervical screening for transgender, non-binary and intersex people. Call their helpline on 0808 802 0019. Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust (Jo's Trust) offers information and support for anyone affected by cervical cancer or abnormal cervical cell changes. Call their helpline on 0808 802 8000. After the exam Your GP practice or sexual health clinic will send your cell sample to a lab after the test. Ask the nurse or doctor when you will get your test results. Often, the most challenging part of cervical screening is waiting for results. It is natural to worry about this. Usually, you will get a letter with the results within two to four weeks. If you are still waiting to hear something by six weeks, tell your GP so they can check for you. After the exam, you may experience light vaginal bleeding for a day. If it continues longer than this or is particularly heavy, contact your GP or sexual health clinic immediately. Where can I get a smear test? Your GP practice can offer you an appointment for your smear test. You will be automatically invited to a test up to six months before you turn 25 or when your next one is due. However, the impact of the pandemic may mean that you are overdue an appointment or have yet to receive an invite. It's always worthwhile checking in with your GP. You can also attend a sexual health clinic to have your smear test done if your GP practice cannot offer you an appointment.

From 31 October 2023, GP surgeries must give patients online access to their new health record entries. Find out what information is in your record and how to access it. What information is in my GP record? A GP health record contains information about the care you have received from your GP surgery. It includes information on: Medicines your GP has prescribed Allergies you have Vaccinations you have received Conditions you have been diagnosed with Results of tests that your GP surgery has requested Notes from appointments Letters that hospitals and specialists have sent to your GP How can I access my online GP record? You can view their GP record by logging into your account on the NHS website or NHS app. To view your record online, you must be registered with a GP surgery and aged 16 or over. Can I access my record if I don’t have access to a computer or a smartphone? You can request your records directly from their GP surgery. GP surgeries can give you a printed copy of your health records. Will I be able to access my GP record using other apps? Alongside the NHS app, you can access your GP record from other apps that allow access to medical information, for instance Patients Know Best, Livi, DrIQ or Evergreen. Will I have to pay to access my GP health record? There is no cost to accessing your GP records through the NHS App or the NHS website, aside from using the internet. The NHS will never charge you to download an app or use services within the app. Will I be able to view my hospital and social care records? No - you can only view information filed on your GP health record. When hospitals send letters from specialists to GPs – for instance, letters about discharge or information on your referral – you can see these. Will I be able to view older records? The changes will only apply to records made from November 2022 onwards. You can request access to historical information from your GP but this will not be part of the new changes. Can I remove access to my record? If you do not want to be able to access your record, you can speak to your GP surgery who can remove online access. Will sensitive test results be automatically uploaded to my record? A GP will review results from a test before uploading them to your health record. If results are sensitive or potentially upsetting, the GP should try to speak to you before uploading them onto your record. Will people under the age of 16 be able to view their records? Changes to record access will only apply to people over the age of 16. If a young person is believed to have enough intelligence, competence and understanding to fully appreciate what’s involved in their treatment (being Gillick competent), they may request access to their records. Their GP will grant access. Can I access the records for a family member or someone I care for? Proxy access lets people access medical services for someone in their care. If you would like proxy access to another person’s record (for example, a child or someone they care for), you must discuss this with the GP surgery. GPs will be decide whether proxy access is in the patient’s best interests. What if I’m not registered with a GP? You can only view records associated with the practice you are currently registered with.  You won’t have access if you move practice or are not currently registered with one. We have called for all GP practices to sign up for the Register with a GP Surgery service, which makes registering with a surgery easier for patients, particularly those with no fixed address or ID. What can I do if there is incorrect information on my record? You can speak to your practice to correct information on your record. For factual changes (incorrect allergy or medication), GPs can amend your record. If you disagree with information on your record (for example, how a mental health concern has been described), there is an option for the GP to note your disagreement. Check out the guidance on amending patients records. Will it be possible to view records of a deceased person? No - viewing a deceased person’s records is not possible. If you want to access a deceased person’s records, you must apply in writing to the record holder under the Access to Health Records Act (1990). What actions can I take if I can’t access to my records? There are several reasons why a GP might decide you should not have access to their records. This is usually because the practice believes there is a safeguarding risk to you or another individual if you have access. You can contact your GP if you feel you should have access to your records. If you disagree with your GP’s decision, you can complain through your practice’s complaints process. What support will be given to understand technical language? NHS England is working with GPs to help them understand these changes and be aware that patients can read information that has been put into the health record. Where possible, GPs have been encouraged by NHS England to use terminology and language that can be understood by everyone. What safeguarding procedures are in place to protect victims and survivors of domestic or sexual abuse? People who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic violence or sexual abuse are potentially at risk from changes to patient record access. A coercive partner may force an individual to show their health records when they do not want to. Where a GP suspects domestic violence, they can hide or ‘redact’ sensitive information. Where possible, a GP will speak to you about this. If a conversation isn’t possible, they can switch off access. When patients get treatment for sexual abuse or trauma, NHS England encourages GPs to discuss whether or not they would like this information included on their online health record. This redacted information would be visible to the GP but not to the patient. The NHS App has security protocols, including user identification when the app is installed. Users will usually have to log in with a password and thumbprint, and advisory messages pop up before patients access their records. However, there is no safeguard in place to stop someone from showing their records to someone else after they log in.

The Christmas holiday is nearly upon us, and we'd like to remind everyone to make sure their medicine cabinets are stocked up, and repeat prescriptions are ordered in time for the holidays. Local pharmacy opening hours are below. Please call your chosen pharmacy before visiting to ensure they are open and have the medication you need. Just a reminder... Pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals who can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for various minor illnesses. They also work with other healthcare professionals to get you the best possible care in a way that works for you and the NHS. The pharmacist will let you know if you need to visit a doctor or other healthcare service, such as a hospital. What services do pharmacies provide? Pharmacists train for five years in the use of medicines. They are also trained in managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice. They can answer your questions on prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Pharmacies provide the following services: ·        dispensing of NHS prescriptions ·        access to the repeat prescription service ·        an emergency supply of medicine, subject to the decision of the pharmacist ·        non-prescription medicines like paracetamol ·        disposal of unwanted or out-of-date medicines Can a pharmacist prescribe medication? Pharmacists can offer advice and over-the-counter medication to help with a range of common conditions and minor injuries, including: ·        common ailments such as coughs, colds and the flu ·        aches, pains and skin rashes Your pharmacist can help manage repeat prescriptions and help with any questions you might have about the medication the doctor has prescribed you. You can also only buy certain products classified as 'pharmacy medicines' from a pharmacist. These medicines, called 'pharmacy-only medicines', aren't usually displayed on open shelves.

Everyone is welcome to join us, Healthwatch Reading and Healthwatch West Berkshire at our online event. For more information about this project, click here. To book your free place via Healthwatch West Berkshire, click here. If you’d like more information or want to have your say, we'd love to hear from you: Email: enquiries@healthwatchwokingham.co.uk Call: 0118 418 1418