Healthwatch Wokingham Borough

26/03/2026

🐣 Easter Bank Holiday – be prepared!

Order your repeat medications early as pharmacies will be busier and may have different opening hours next weekend.

💊 Some pharmacies will be open over the holidays, but times can change; please check before you visit.

📄 Click below to view the full list of local pharmacies opened in the borough and locally during the upcoming holidays👇
https://f.mtr.cool/pilrvzcezf

💡 Pharmacy First: Get advice and treatment for common conditions like sore throats, earache, UTIs and more at your local pharmacy - no GP needed.

📞 Need advice during the holidays? Contact NHS 111 (24/7)

🚨 Emergency? Call 999

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. Whil...

25/03/2026

We are delighted to share a series of multilingual videos created by Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality - Acre in Reading to help people access clear and trusted information about important vaccines, locally. The videos cover the MMR vaccine (for adults and children), flu, RSV, and COVID-19, and are available in Arabic, Nepali, and Urdu to support more communities.

For more information and to watch the videos and pass on 👇
https://f.mtr.cool/vbkltmwphe

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 an...

24/03/2026

How active are you? What might be stopping you from moving more?
Wokingham Borough council want 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 you do to stay active
• Where you are active
• What matters to you
• Any barriers you face
• What would help you be more active

Fill out the survey online 👉 https://f.mtr.cool/idkkbqlzdc

Need help taking part? Call 0118 974 6000 or visit your local library
Wokingham Borough Libraries

For more information👇
https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/post/council-needs-your-help-to-improve-access-to-activities

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:.....

23/03/2026

Following our recent report on the experiences of healthcare for South Asian women across the borough, we’ve now received an official response from Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB).

The ICB recognises the importance of the findings, the engagement with communities and highlights key areas for action, including improving access to culturally sensitive services, support for preferred healthcare practitioner gender, and tackling barriers such as translation, digital access, and health literacy.

We welcome this engagement as an important step forward and will be monitoring for action.

Read the report and response (page 29-30) 👇
https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/post/report-south-asian-women-s-health

17/03/2026

You may have seen reports of a meningitis outbreak in Kent, where two teenagers have sadly died, and 13 people became ill over just three days. Most affected are sixth-form and university students.

While rare, meningitis can become serious very quickly, especially in shared spaces like schools, colleges and universities.

Health teams advise anyone with symptoms to seek urgent medical help; early treatment can save lives.

☑️Visit our information and advice page to know the signs and what to do 👇

Trusted advice is also available from Meningitis Now Meningitis Research Foundation and the UK Health Security Agency

You may have seen reports of a meningitis outbreak in Kent, where two teenagers 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, especial...

16/03/2026

The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation Call for Evidence closes tomorrow, 17 March 2026.

The investigation aims to create national recommendations to make maternity and neonatal care safer, fairer, and more consistent across England, and to help families get justice and accountability.

If you’ve experienced maternity or neonatal care or supported someone who has, your experience can help improve services for families across England.

Surveys are available in 7 additional languages, Easy Read, Braille, and you can submit in British Sign Language.

For more information and to submit your evidence 👇

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.The investigation was launched in June 2025 by Health Secretary Wes Streeting to review NHS maternity serv...

12/03/2026

⚠️Changes to the NHS App from the end of March

Updates to the NHS App will begin rolling out from the end of March. NHS Digital have said some users will see the update automatically, while others may be prompted to update the app.

What’s changing❓
🔅 A new 'App Help' button for quick support
🔅 A 'profile area' to manage personal details and health choices and to manage health services for family members or people you support.
🔅 Easier access to appointments, prescriptions, and test results from the homepage

To find out more, read our article below 👇

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...

12/02/2026

🌸 Listening to South Asian women across Wokingham Borough

We gathered feedback from 115 local women from across Wokingham Borough via surveys and focus groups to understand their experiences with healthcare.

We focused on South Asian women because they face some of the most significant health inequalities in the borough:

❗️Cervical screening uptake among Pakistani and Bangladeshi women is as low as 40% (national target is 80%)

❗️South Asian communities are 2–4 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and have a 40% higher heart disease mortality rate

❗️Cultural and gendered barriers affect access, including limited culturally appropriate information, stigma, language challenges, and lower confidence navigating the NHS

Our report shares insights and recommendations to help local health services better meet the needs of South Asian women across the borough, in line with the National Women’s Health Strategy and Marmot Principles.

Read our full report 👇

https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/post/report-south-asian-women-s-health

This report aims to highlight the health inequalities and underrepresentation faced by South Asian women across Wokingham Borough, and to provide recommendations on how local health services can better meet the needs of this community.We heard from 115 local women across Wokingham Borough through on...

23/01/2026

💙 Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 💙

This week is an important reminder of just how vital regular cervical screening is. Prevention really does work - cervical screening saves up to 2,000 lives every year in the UK.

If you’re invited for screening, please don’t ignore it. This simple appointment can spot changes early, before cancer ever develops. It’s quick, routine, and it could save your life.

If you’re feeling unsure or worried, you are not alone. We’ve shared clear, supportive information on what to expect at a screening and how to manage any concerns.

Find out more here and take that important step for your health 👇
https://f.mtr.cool/jxbzuggkvt

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 sme...

21/01/2026

✨ ✨

Our team are out and about this week! Come and see us at:
📍 Wokingham Library – Thursday 22nd January
📍 Lower Earley Library – Friday 23rd January

⏰ 10:00am – 11:30am

Pop by for free drinks and biscuits and chat with our friendly team about local health and social care services.

We’d love to see you there! Wokingham Borough Libraries

Join us in January for our Cosy Coffee Mornings 10am – 11:30am. Free hot drinks and biscuits are served. We are also joined by our healthwatch team this month. Healthwatch acts as the collective voice of the public for health and social care in our borough. Just drop-in!
Woodley Library – January 8th & 15th
Wokingham Library – January 22nd
Lower Earley Library – January 23rd

15/01/2026

of NHS Online - a new national online hospital that will be launching next year?

The NHS is launching NHS Online, a new digital service to make specialist care faster and easier. You’ll be able to:

💻 Get GP referrals to the online hospital
🎥 Have video appointments with specialist doctors from across England (not just local specialists)
🏠 Be monitored from home
⏱️ Access care more quickly

At launch in 2027, NHS Online will focus on women’s health, prostate, eye, and other long-term conditions.

We'd love to hear what you think. Contact us or leave your comment below so we can share your anonymous feedback with the local and national NHS. Your voice matters!

📲 0118 418 1418
✉️ [email protected]

For more information on NHS Online

You can read more here👇

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 t...