Healthwatch Wokingham Borough

05/09/2025

The government will be testing the emergency alerts system which sends a loud alarm to mobile phones, even if they’re on silent on Sunday 7th Sept at 3pm

⚠️ This could put people at risk if they’re hiding a phone for safety, such as in cases of domestic abuse.

Our latest blog post shares what to expect, who’s affected, and how to stay safe 👇
https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/post/uk-emergency-alerts-test-sunday-7-september-at-3pm

The UK Government will carry out a national test of the Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 7 September 2025 at 3:00pm. It is a system designed to warn people about life-threatening events, such as severe flooding, fires, etc. However, this test may pose a significant risk to people experiencing domes...

04/09/2025

a free chickenpox vaccination will be offered for the first time to children across England on the NHS from January.

Eligible children will get an vaccine to protect against , , and .

We have all the details👇

What’s happening?Starting in January 2026, NHS England will offer the chickenpox vaccine free of charge as part of the routine childhood immunisation programme. The vaccine will be delivered in a combined MMRV jab (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella) given in two doses at around 12 months an...

02/09/2025

The NHS winter vaccination programme is here 👩‍🔬
Flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines are now available for:
👶 Children
🤰 Pregnant women
🧓 Older adults & those at high risk

We’ve got all the details to help you stay protected this winter 👇

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The NHS has announced its winter vaccination programme for flu, COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), for children, pregnant women, and adults. The NHS will be sending out millions of invitations this month (September 2025) to remind eligible people to come forward as soon as they can, but...

30/08/2025

Have your say on SEND services!

SEND Voices Wokingham and Me2 Club are hosting a public consultation with Yuan Yang for Earley & Woodley

This is a chance for families to share their experiences and help shape improvements to SEND provision for children and young people in our area.

All the details are below 👇

📣 SEND Consultation Event – Have Your Say

On Thursday 11th September, 1:30–3:30pm, Yuan Yang (MP for Earley & Woodley) will be hosting a consultation with SEND Voices Wokingham and Me2Club to hear your views on reforms to SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) provision.

This event is open to residents of Earley & Woodley constituency or those whose children with SEND attend schools there.

Yuan Yang MP says:
"SEND is a priority in my work in Parliament, and I want to ensure the voices of families, professionals, and people with lived experience shape the government’s upcoming reforms. I look forward to hearing your experiences and ideas"

📍 Venue: To be confirmed (likely South Reading, within the constituency)
🔗 Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSjMZ5GWXNgxKr5UcGRtvvCpUNkY3OTlDREhJTDNaM0RXMEdLMEQzOElPMi4u
(You can also use this form if you are unable to attend, but would like to provide feedback)

29/08/2025

Struggling to find an NHS dentist in Wokingham Borough? You’re not alone.

Our latest advice page looks at the current situation, how to find an NHS dentist, and what to do if you need urgent dental care. Plus, find out what we and our national body Healthwatch England are doing to push for better access and how your anonymous feedback can help.

Read the full update below 👇 https://www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk/post/july-2025-update-nhs-dentistry-in-wokingham-borough

If you’ve experienced challenges in accessing NHS dental care across the borough, we want to hear from you. Share your story, your views, anonymously to help us shape better services for everyone.

Residents across the borough and England have made it clear: NHS dentistry must be affordable and accessible for all.To help you understand the current situation, we’ve created a quick Q&A covering local dental access, how to find care, and what Healthwatch is doing to help.Looking for an NHS Dent...

27/08/2025

you have legal rights when booking a GP appointment?

When you book an appointment with your GP, some choices aren't just preferences; they are your legal rights under the NHS Constitution. Others are backed by NICE guidelines and the NHS GP contract.
✅ You can ask to see a specific doctor
✅ Your care should be tailored to you
✅ Your location, preferences and other health needs should be considered

These aren’t just 'nice-to-haves', they are part of how the system should work for everyone.
Read our advice page to understand your rights. If you would like to share your views, please contact us or leave a comment below👇

When you book a GP appointment, you have certain choices and some of these are your legal rights, and others are based on NHS guidelines and policies.One key right set out in the NHS Constitution is that you have the right to ask to see a particular doctor.There are also guidelines from NICE (the Na...

26/08/2025

that if you are pregnant you can now refer yourself to NHS maternity services without seeing your GP. We have all the details 👇

Pregnant women across England can now book their first midwife appointment by completing a simple online form with no visit to the GP required. You can choose which NHS trust you'd like to contact directly, giving you more control and quicker access to care and services. Here’s a roundup: • New ...

26/08/2025

Care Quality Commission has rated Wokingham Borough Council's adult social care as good, finding that they focus on supporting people to receive high quality care and help them achieve their ambitions. Read more and view the full report 👇

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), has rated Wokingham Borough Council as good, in how well they are meeting their responsibilities to ensure people have access to adult social care and support under the Care Act (2014). CQC has a new duty under the Act to assess how local authorities work with thei...

19/08/2025

We've published a roundup of the NHS 10-year plan, looking at what it means for you and us here at Healthwatch. Essentially, the plan is based on three changes the government wants to bring in over the next 10 years:
🏥Hospital to community
👥Sickness to prevention
📱Analogue to digital

Read more below 👇 and do share your views on the government's plans in the comments below or by contacting us:
📨enquiries@healthwatchwokingham.co.uk
📞0118 418 1418

We look at what this means for you and HealthwatchThe government has now published a 10-Year NHS Health Plan for England ‘Fit for the Future.’ This is a plan for how health and care services should change and improve over the next 10 years across England. Over 250,000 people shared their views.E...

12/08/2025

we are one of 131 Healthwatch that have signed an open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging the Government to rethink plans to move public voice functions 'in-house' under the control of local councils and NHS Integrated Care Boards.
For all the details 👇

131 local Healthwatch services across England, including Healthwatch Wokingham Borough, have signed a powerful open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging the Government to rethink plans to move public voice functions 'in-house' under the control of local councils and NH...

22/07/2025

📢 Have your say on the future of wellbeing services in Wokingham Borough!

Wokingham Borough Council want to make sure adults (18 years +) across the borough get the right support they need in the future, and your views will help shape this.

Share your views in a short anonymous survey which is open until Friday 29th August 2025.

Read more and complete the survey 👇

Wokingham Borough Council wants to hear from you!Local charities and community groups play a vital role in helping residents stay healthy, happy, and connected. With current wellbeing service contracts ending in April 2027, Wokingham Borough Council wants your views to help shape the right support f...

16/07/2025

🎉Our annual report launch is here!

We're here in discussing the work we completed in 2024-2025 with our volunteers and friends Healthwatch Reading. Great attendance by local service providers, community members and key decision-makers. We also have special guests talking about local health and social care services including Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit NHS Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board