If you are out and about and need to rest in a cool place during the exceptional heat the following places are recommended by Reading Borough Council:

Reading Civic Offices, Bridge Street - 9am to 5pm - Air conditioned, seating, free drinking water and toilets available. Central Library open on Thursday. Wheelchair accessible.

Rivermead and Palmer Park Leisure Centres - 7am to 9pm - Air conditioned, free drinking water, toilets.Wheelchair accessible.

Reading Patient Voice Group will meet at 6pm on Wednesday 17th June, online via Teams and in committee room 4a of the Reading Civic Offices on Bridge Street.

The meeting will discuss responses to the current and proposed features of the RBH patient portal, future strategy, and other NHS matters relevant to our members.

To join the meeting please click here,

Reading Patient Voice Group meets at 6pm on Wednesday 20th May in Committee Room 4b at the Reading Civic Offices on Bridge Street and online via Microsoft Teams to hear  Dr Michelle Thomas of the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading talk about "Food, Diet and Public Dining" and to discuss local healthcare with a presentation on the future development of the "Patient Connect" patient portal at the Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust.

In this paper the Health Foundation reports that healthy life expectancy has fallen in the UK by about 2 years during the decade from 2012-14 to 2022-24. It ended up just below 61 years of age. The BBC reported that the UK was one of only 5 countries out of the 21 richest where this occurred and the UK fall was the second steepest.

Reading Patient Voice Group will meet at 6pm on Wednesday 15th April 2026 in Committee Room 1, Reading Civic Offices, Bridge Street and online via Microsoft Teams to hear a talk on "Healthcare Choices in Hospital - Do Not Resuscitate and the RESPECT form" by Petronelle Eastwick-Field of the Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust and to discuss other local health care developments and reports.