As a county, Berkshire has an increasing older population along with an inevitable, growing demand for elderly care services.
Fortunately, the county is served well by health and social care, although these provisions are organised along NHS and local council boundaries, which can make services difficult to find and navigate.
This article outlines what care is available in the county and how to access it.
NHS Services for the Elderly in Berkshire
The Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is a major trust providing a full range of health services to the people of Berkshire.
Clinical Commissioning Groups
CCGs commission most of the hospital and community NHS services for the local areas that they are responsible for. Commissioning involves deciding which services are needed by the local population and then ensuring that they are provided. All GP practices and nursing teams belong to an overarching CCG.
Berkshire is covered by two CCGs:
To locate your nearest GP, you can enter your postcode on the NHS website.
Hospitals
In Berkshire, there are two major hospitals with an A&E department: Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.
The county is also home to the following NHS hospitals, that all provide a specialist services:
| Hospital | Specialist Services |
|---|---|
| Bracknell Healthspace | Cancer care, renal dialysis and other outpatient clinics |
| Prince Charles Eye Unit | Ophthalmology |
| Townlands Memorial Hospital | Audiology, surgery, cardiology and ophthalmology, among other outpatient clinics |
| West Berkshire Community Hospital | Palliative care, rehabilitation, nutrition, Minor Injuries Unit |
| Windsor Dialysis unit | Chronic kidney disease |
Hospices
In Berkshire, the Sue Ryder palliative team offers a range of services from three sites located in Reading, Newbury and Wokingham.
Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice
- Address: 22 Liebenrood Road, Reading, RG30 2DX
- Telephone: 0118 955 0400
- Email: [email protected]
Sue Ryder Palliative Care Hub Berkshire
- Address: West Berkshire Community Hospital, Benham Hill, London Road, Berkshire, RG18 3AS
- Telephone: 01635 273 725
- Email: [email protected]
Sue Ryder Wokingham
- Address: Wokingham Hospital, 41 Barkham Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 2RE
- Telephone: 0118 949 5030
- Email: [email protected]
Please find more information about hospice services in the county on our dedicated guide to palliative care in Berkshire.
Local Authority Elderly Care Services in Berkshire
Berkshire is split up into six local councils, each providing their own care services. You can find your local council’s health and social care website below.
Booking a Care Needs Assessment in Berkshire
A Care Needs Assessment establishes how much care someone needs and how much of this can be provided by the council.
To arrange a Care Needs Assessment, you will need to contact your local council. Please find all the required information on our dedicated page for how to book a care needs assessment in Berkshire.
Specialist Mental Health Services for the Elderly in Berkshire
The Berkshire Foundation NHS Trust facilitates the Older People’s Mental Health Service.
The team offer mental health assessments, diagnosis and on-going care to help with mental health conditions, including:
- Dementia
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Severe Anxiety
The Older People’s Mental Heath Service generally work with people who are over the age of 75 but, in some cases they work with younger people too.
The service can be accessed by speaking to your GP or through referral by another NHS service.
We also have an Age Space guide regarding dementia care services in Berkshire.
Home Care in Berkshire
Home Care, or Domiciliary Care is professional care provided in the comfort of your own home. These services can allow your elderly relative to maintain the independence of living at home, whilst giving you the peace of mind that they’re being taken care of.
You can use Age Space’s own Home Care Directory to look for suitable home care that’s in your area:
