Willingham Medical Practice December Newsletter

Christmas 2024 – Surgery Opening Hours

Please note that we will be CLOSED at the weekends in addition to the bank holidays on Wednesday 25th December, Thursday 26th December and Wednesday 1st January. Normal opening hours on all other days during the holiday period.

Please plan ahead and make sure you have enough medication. The last date for ordering repeat prescriptions in time for the Christmas holidays is Thursday 19th December. The last date for collection before Christmas is Tuesday 24th December by 4pm at Longstanton Surgery and 6pm at Willingham.  

The last date for ordering repeat medication before New Year will be Tuesday 24th December. The last date for collection before the New Year is Tuesday 31st December by 4pm at Longstanton Surgery and 6pm at Willingham.

When the surgery is closed please call 111 for medical assistance, or 999 for a life threatening emergency.

For Urgent Mental Health Support, please call 111 and select option 2

Details of local Pharmacies that will be open over the bank holidays will be posted on the surgery doors, and also on social media and our website.

Healthy You Falls Prevention

Falls are increasingly common as we get older, sometimes leading to injuries that can cost people their independence. The good news is that many falls can be avoided with the right help.

The Healthy You Falls Prevention Service is a FREE service for anyone aged 65+ living in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough and registered at a Cambridgeshire or Peterborough GP Surgery. The service offers Falls Risk Assessments, which help identify falls risks before they become a problem, and FREE weekly strength and balance exercise classes to improve strength, stability and confidence in balance. They are also a great way to meet other people, receive support and build motivation.

For further information and to access the service, a self-referral can be completed by visiting https://healthyyou.org.uk/services/falls-prevention/ or by telephoning 0333 005 0093.

Contacting the Surgery

Emails to the surgery are not the appropriate route for our patients to make clinical contact with the GP and we ask that you do not convey any clinical information this way. This includes, for example, asking clinical questions, letting the GP know that you are changing doses of your medication or wanting to update the GP before attending an appointment with them. On receipt of such emails, our only response will be to ask you make a GP appointment.

Please also note that we are unable to book appointments via email or our AccuRx Patient Triage system. You are able to make your appointment via SystemOnline, by using the NHS App or telephoning the surgery and speaking to our reception team.

Pension Credits – Are You Claiming?

1,053 households in the South Cambridgeshire District Council area are entitled to Pension Credit due to their household income and are NOT claiming it – ARE YOU ONE OF THESE? This amounts to £2,801,690 per year. If you are eligible, not only can Pension Credit payments be backdated 3 months, you can also claim Winter Fuel Allowance.

For further information about how to claim visit: https://apply-for-pension-credit.service.gov.uk/apply-citizen-ui/start or telephone 0800 99 1234

Vaccinations

The Flu Vaccine is available for all pregnant women (including those women who become pregnant during the influenza season), individuals aged 65 years or over (including those becoming age 65 years by 31/03/25) and individuals aged 18 years to under 65 years in a clinical risk group category

The Nasal Flu is available for all those aged 2 or 3 years on 31/08/24 (with a date of birth on or after 01/09/20 and on or before 31/08/22)

The RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is available for individuals turning 75 years of age on or after 01/09/24. There is also a catch up campaign for those with a date of birth between 02/09/1944 to 31/08/1949.

The Shingles Vaccine is available for individuals who are aged between 70 years and 79 years old and have never received a shingles vaccine, for individuals who reach the age of 65 or 70 years of age during the period 01/09/23 and 31/08/2028 (these individuals should be vaccinated on or after (but not before) their 65th or 70th birthday), individuals who are aged 50 years and above and meet the definition of severe immunosuppression and for those who are aged between 18 and 49 years and receiving a stem cell transplant

Carers Meetings
If you are a carer for someone and need advice and financial or emotional support, please come along to our carers support meeting on Wednesday 4th December, at the Wilford Furlong Centre in Willingham, where we will be holding a drop in session between 2pm and 4pm. Please come along and get some support from other people in the local community. Refreshments are provided, there’s no need to pre-book and it’s completely FREE! Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month and for more information please contact susan.lawson7@nhs.net.

All staff at the Willingham and Longstanton Surgeries wish our patients a very merry Christmas and a happy & healthy 2025.

Willingham Medical Practice – December 2024

WILLINGHAM & LONGSTANTON SURGERIES

Willingham 01954 260230  Longstanton 01954 207600  Dispensary 01954 207602

District Nurse Team: 0330 726 0077       Health Visitors:  0300 029 5050

Out of hours cover:  Ring 111      Website: www.willinghammedicalpractice.nhs.netA&E is not an alternative to a GP appointment. If we are closed, please call 111