Surveys and statistics are essential tools in identifying patterns of disesase, effectiveness of treatments and care, and in suggesting new treatments to medical research. The power of modern computing and statistic applied to this data is currently termed Big Data. The NHS has a developing programme called Care.Data to gather patient data from all GP surgeries in England. The data is to be used in health services management, preventative medicine and medical research.

The NHS is to moderate its underpayment of hospitals for seeing patients in A&E, the Guardian website reports. A big headache for NHS hospitals has been that theyt have not been getting full fees for patients attending A&E. Instead they get only 30% of the fee for every patient more than seen in the year 2008/9. With steeply rising attendance this has put finances under strain. CCGs have been advised to spend the money withheld with providers. Locally some of the money withheld from the RBH has returned to it but by no means all the money withheld.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 27th November at the University Health Centre, 9, Northcourt Avenue, Reading RG2 7HE The main feature will be a presentation on South Reading's Health Needs as assessed in the annual Joint Strategic Health Assessment (JSNA) by the Reading Borough Public Health Team. The assessment forms the basis of local commissioning of hospital and community healthcare by the CCG for the next two-year and five-year periods. News from local practice Patient Groups will be welcome.

We will be meeting between 6pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday, 29th January 2014 at the University Health Centre, 9, Northcourt Avenue, Reading RG2 7HE The main feature is expected to be a presentation on South Reading's Health Needs as assessed in the annual Joint Strategic Health Assessment (JSNA) by the Reading Borough Public Health Team. The assessment forms the basis of local commissioning of hospital and community healthcare by the CCG for the next two-year and five-year periods. News from local practice Patient Groups will be welcome.

The Reading FIRST bus will be offering first aid, health and recovery services in Hosier Street on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm to 4am. The service has been an initiative of Reading Borough Council's Health and Wellbeing Board and is supported cooperatively by NHS CCGs, Police, Ambulance Service, Reading Borough Council, Reading Local Strategic Partnership and the Government. The aim is to help those who get into difficulties in the town centre at night and to take the load of the RBH A&E department.