About us Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Easy Read documents Healthwatch Information We are Healthwatch It starts with you Who we are and what we do We are the independent champion for people who use health and social care services. We’re here to make sure that those running services put people at the heart of care. ​ Our sole purpose is to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf. ​ We focus on ensuring that people’s worries and concerns about current services are addressed. ​ We work to get services right for the future. How we work We are here to listen to what you like about services and what you think could be improved. No matter how big or small the issue, we want to hear about it. ​ Where possible, we will let you know when changes are planned to services in our community and help you have a say. We will also encourage those in charge of local care to involve you when changes are being planned to services. ​ You can also speak to us to find information about health and social care services available locally. Our approach People's views come first - especially those who find it hardest to be heard. ​ We champion what matters to you and work with others to find ideas that work. We are independent and committed to making the biggest difference to you. Our Advisory Group Find out about who our members are, what they do and find the latest meeting minutes by visiting the Advisory Group page. Our staff Our staff We have a small team of dedicated individuals with a remit to engage with, offer support, signpost and listen to all our local residents experiences and suggestions relating to NHS Health and Social Care services in Reading. Alice Kunjappy-Clifton Lead Officer (and Authorised Enter and View Representative) Gráinne Colgan Digital Engagement Officer (and Authorised Enter and View Representative) Tariq Gomma Engagement Officer Zainab Koroma Engagement Officer

Contact us On this page you can get in touch using the details below, find directions and opening times for our offices or use the contact form to get in touch with us. Opening Hours Monday 9am 5pm Tuesday 9am 5pm Wednesday 9am 5pm Thursday 9am 5pm Friday 9am 4pm Saturday Closed Sunday Closed Phone 0118 214 5579 Post Healthwatch Reading, Oxford Road Community Centre, 344 Oxford Road, Reading, RG30 1AF Contact form Enter your first name here Enter your email address here Enter your last name here Enter your contact number here Enter your message here I want to subscribe to the newsletter I agree to my data being stored and used in line with the privacy policy. Click here to see the privacy policy Submit Thank you for contacting us

We want to hear from you We're collecting your stories and experiences about GP surgeries, Dentists, Pharmacies and all other health and social care services. Tell us about your experiences and help shape the future of care. Have your say News & Views To see all news posts, click here The NHS app: what it does and how it can help you Not sure what the NHS app is or how it works, this information is for you. By downloading the NHS app on your mobile phone or using it... Improving doctor surgeries for Reading locals Dr Amit Sharma, GP Partner at Brookside Group Practice, talks about how the doctor surgeries across Berkshire West are trying to improve... October 2023: Need to see a dentist for urgent dental care? Help for Reading locals. Dentistry continues to be an ongoing national crisis, and Reading is no exception. We continue to see residents struggling to register... Thanks for all your help and support with everything for me and my family. Anon Upcoming events To see all events, click here No upcoming events at the moment Sign up for our news letter Email First Name Last Name I agree to my data being stored and used in line with the privacy policy. Click here to see the privacy policy Subscribe Thank you for subscribing

Measles cases have risen across the UK. Find out about measles, who can get the vaccine, and what you can do to stay safe. What is measles? Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by the measles virus. Most children recover from measles without complications, but in some, it can be more severe and lead to admission to hospital. To learn about the symptoms of measles, check out the NHS website. What is the measles vaccine? The NHS advises that children receive two vaccine doses to protect them against measles, mumps and rubella. The measles vaccine is also known as MMR vaccine - protecting you against all three of measles, mumps and rubella in one dose. The vaccine is given in two doses: the first dose when the child is one year old and the second when they are three years and four months old. Both doses are needed for the best protection. The NHS advises that the MMR vaccine is safe, effective and the best protection for your child. Although there have been historic concerns that the MMR vaccine is linked to autism, there is no evidence of this. Several studies have been conducted and found no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Need to arrange a vaccine? If you need to get your child's MMR vaccine or check if your child is fully protected, contact your local GP practice. Who is at risk? People most at risk are: Babies Young children Pregnant women People with a weakened immune system. These groups are most at risk of the virus spreading to other parts of the body and causing rare complications such as hearing loss, meningitis or pneumonia. How does measles spread? Measles spreads when you have close contact with other people. For example, it tends to spread quickly in schools and nurseries. The virus can be spread by: Coughing or sneezing Direct skin-to-skin contact Sharing cutlery, cups, towels, clothes or bedding. How to prevent measles from spreading To reduce the risk of spreading the infection, always be careful to: Regularly wash your hands with soap and water. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of any used tissues immediately. If you think you or your child might have measles, contact your GP practice and speak to your doctor immediately. They will advise you on treatment options and how long you will be contagious.

Access to NHS dental care continues to be one of the main issues we hear about from Reading locals but it's an issue that is also affecting people across the whole of the UK. We've put together a Q&A to help you understand what is happening and what to do if you need an NHS dentist. I am looking for an NHS dentist. Currently, no dentists are accepting new NHS patients across Reading. Many dental practices have very long waiting lists. You can join more than one dental waiting list. Where can I check to find out if dentists are taking on NHS patients? You can visit or phone local dental practices to see if they are taking on NHS patients. You can also find a list of dentists taking on more patients on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/other-services You can also visit the Dental Choices website – this is not part of the NHS but also lists NHS dentists taking on new NHS patients to their waiting lists: http://dentalchoices.org/find-a-dentist You can call NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233 and they may be able to help you find the nearest dentist accepting NHS patients, but you may be asked to travel some distance to get an appointment. I have an urgent dental issue or emergency but no dentist, what do I do now? You can: Phone NHS 111. They can book an emergency appointment for you. Phone any local NHS dentist and ask if they can give you a one-off NHS dental appointment. It is not possible to request treatment by e-mail. Book urgent or emergency dental appointments only with the dental practices listed below. Booking yourself an urgent or emergency dental appointment: These dental appointments are not for routine dental care/checkups. They are for urgent or emergency dental appointments with the dental practices listed below. From 1st April if you do not have an NHS dentist and you fall under one of the groups below you will be able to book routine care/checkups, on-going treatment and urgent appointments: Urgent Need Clinically Vulnerable Looked After Children Extractions required before Orthodontic Treatment Care Home Residents (who are able to travel to practice) Expectant and nursing mothers Armed Forces family members Homeless patients Asylum Seekers/Refugees For further information on who these dental appointments are for, please click here. There is only one dental practice offering this in the Reading area and the rest are outside Reading, but you can still attend these for your urgent/emergency care only. The practices have been given special funding to offer additional dental appointments. Not all dentists offer these. We advise that you phone the dental practices below as soon as they open each morning to book an appointment. Appointments get filled quickly. Please mention Healthwatch Reading when booking your urgent or emergency dental care appointment. Bespoke Dental Care/Gentle Dental Care, 6 Chapel Hill, Tilehurst, Reading, RG31 5DG, 0118 945 2900 / 0118 945 5555 Smile Dental Care, 8-10 High Street, Twyford, RG10 9AE - 0118 832 1803 Winnersh Dental Practice, 410, Reading Road, Wokingham RG41 5EP - 0118 978 6385 Westwood Dental Practice, 29 London Road, Slough SL3 7RP - 01753 522091 Smile Dental Centre, 24 High Street, Slough, SL1 1EQ - 01753 523410 Moonlight Dental Surgery, Wentworth Avenue, Slough, SL2 2DG - 01753 526301 SC Dental Studio, 281 Farnham Road, Slough, SL2 1JF - 01753 550888 Cippenham Dental Practice, 424 Bath Road, Cippenham, SL1 6JA - 01753 577017 What is the Community Dental Service - can I use this service? This service provides dental treatment for children and adults who cannot access treatment at general dental practices. Instead, dental services take place in hospitals, specialist health centres and mobile clinics, as well as home visits. This could be because of needing specialist care, disability, learning difficulties, language barriers, phobias etc. Some hospitals or health centres may be able to offer treatment under sedation or general anaesthetic. You can find out more about community dental services, here or you can contact NHS England on 0300 311 2233. What is Healthwatch Reading doing about the dental crisis? We're in regular contact with NHS England - South East Dental and NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) to get the latest information on local dental services. BOB ICB has responsibility for planning and funding NHS services for local people across Berkshire West, which includes Reading locals and dentistry services. NHS England - South East Dental deliver the dentistry service to you and Reading locals. Healthwatch Reading is an independent statutory body which means we have the power to make sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers listen to your feedback. We ask locals to share their views, concerns and experiences on dentistry services. We then share your experiences anonymously with the teams mentioned above, and other local groups, so that they know the local issues, the impact of the crisis, and how to make change to local services. Your feedback is also sent to our national body Healthwatch England and is used as evidence in debates and committee meetings with the UK government so that changes can be made to NHS dentistry across the UK.  Click here to find out more. Read more about the work our national body, Healthwatch England's has been doing, and its position on NHS dentistry here. More information on the UK Government's new dentistry plans published on 7th February 2024, can be read here. Share your views on local dentistry Have your voice heard and help to improve local services. Tell us what you think about local dental services (good or bad) or if you are unable to get the treatment that you need: Call: 0118 214 5579 Email: info@healthwatchreading.co.uk Online: click here to complete a short online form.

NHS dental fees will go up by four per cent from 1 April. This is despite the fact that last year patients were faced with the steep increase of 8.5 per cent. New fees: £26.80 for Band 1 course of treatment £73.50 for Band 2 course of treatment £319.10 for Band 3 course of treatment You can check if you are eligible for free or reduced cost NHS dental treatment using the NHS eligibility checker at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check. Responding, Chris McCann, Healthwatch England's director of campaigns said: “We are disappointed that the government has rejected our call to freeze NHS dental charges this year.“ Our latest research shows that one in five people are put off going to the dentist because of cost. This is up from 15% in March last year. Worryingly, 40% of those experiencing the greatest financial pressure said they had avoided going to the dentist because of cost, compared to just seven per cent of people who said were very comfortable. “The rise in dental charges is compounded by that fact that last year’s increase of 8.5% was the highest on record. “And while it’s true that some people are entitled to exemptions from NHS dental charges – they may not be able to benefit due to other dental pressures. We’ve heard from women during pregnancy and after birth, who don’t end up receiving free NHS dental care they’re entitled to, because they can’t find an NHS dentist able to see them during this period.“ There is a twin crisis of access and affordability in NHS dentistry that must be tackled. We’re calling on both DHSC and NHS England to ensure they fully promote the exemption categories and also the NHS Low Income Scheme which can partly but not fully cover dental charges for those who qualify.” Polling was carried out by Yonder between 26-28 January 2024 on a representative sample of 2008 people from England. Read more about how to get an NHS dental appointment and what is happening in Reading, by clicking here. Share your views on local dentistry Have your voice heard and help to improve local services. Tell us what you think about local dental services (good or bad) or if you are unable to get the treatment that you need: Call: 0118 214 5579 Email: info@healthwatchreading.co.uk Online: click here to complete a short online form.