Willingham Medical Practice Newsletter – April 2025
WILLINGHAM & LONGSTANTON SURGERIES
Willingham 01954 260230 Longstanton 01954 207600 Dispensary 01954 207602
Website: www.willinghammedicalpractice.nhs.net
Community (District) Nurses: 0330 726 0077 Health Visitors: 0300 029 505
a&e is not an alternative to a gp appointment
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
EASTER 2025 / MAY BANK HOLIDAYS – OPENING HOURS
Please note the surgery will be CLOSED for the long Easter weekend including the bank holidays on FRIDAY 18TH APRIL and MONDAY 21ST APRIL as well as the bank holidays on MONDAY 5TH MAY and MONDAY 26TH MAY.
In addition, we will also be CLOSED from 1pm on THURSDAY 15th MAY for whole staff training.
Please plan ahead and make sure you have enough medication to last, remembering to order your repeats at least THREE WORKING DAYS before collection.
MYCHART PATIENT APP
| MyChart is the electronic patient portal at Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie hospitals, allowing their patients to securely access parts of their health record held within the hospitals’ Epic electronic patient record system. It is designed to improve communication between patients and their clinical teams, and enable patients to be more involved and informed about their care by having access to their information. Hospital information available electronically in MyChart includes upcoming appointments / past appointment details, current problems / conditions, clinical correspondence, test results, medication etc. Patients are also able to check-in for appointments, message their care team (if available within the clinical specialty), download recent visit records and securely share MyChart information electronically with other clinical settings such as the GP, community care staff and clinicians at other hospitals. | |
| For further information and to sign up to MyChart please visit: https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/visiting-our-hospitals/your-appointment/mychart/ | |
Travel Information
As the summer holidays are fast approaching many of us are turning our attention to booking holidays and making our travel plans. If you are planning to travel abroad please consider whether you will require any vaccinations. By booking a Travel Clinic appointment (at least six weeks before your date of travel) with one of our practice nurses, they can offer a general travel consultation with advice. They are also able to administer the following vaccinations (free of charge): Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Tetnus Diptheria & Polio and the MMR. For any other vaccinations we would recommend you attend MASTA, a private travel clinic, located on Hills Road in Cambridge. Please visit our website for further information and to fill out a Travel Questionnaire, which must be completed BEFORE your appointment.
For those who are on repeat medication, please plan ahead and make sure you have enough medication to last for your time away, remembering to re-order with plenty of time before you travel and allowing at least 3 working days before collection. And, just in case of emergency, we would advise that you take a list of your repeat medication with you (your repeat prescription slip would be ideal).
Finally, just a reminder that the GP is unable to sign (as proof of identification) any passport/visa applications and they will not write ‘Fit to Travel/Fly’ letter for our patients.
Waiting Times
We apologise that, due to the increased demands on the GP’s, there may be delays in being seen for your routine or emergency appointment. Please bear in mind that our staff are working hard to minimise this but it is always advisable to allow a little extra time, just in case.
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS
Repeat medication can be ordered via SystemOnline, using the NHS App or by handing in paper repeat prescription slips to the surgeries at Willingham or Longstanton as well as the Willingham Pharmacy.
Despite any notifications received after ordering electronically, our current turnaround for regular repeat prescriptions is THREE WORKING DAYS (this DOES NOT include weekends) so please be aware of this when ordering and give yourself plenty of time to ensure you don’t run out of medication.
We will always help where we can with urgent orders. However, this is always subject to stock availability so we cannot guarantee we can fulfil a prescription quickly. In these circumstances we will be in contact to advise.
ZERO TOLERANCE
Sadly, we have noticed an increase in rude and abusive behaviour from our patients and, in some instances, this has been directly targeted towards individual members of our staff. We all aim to be polite, helpful and sensitive to our patients’ individual needs and circumstances and we respectfully remind patients that very often our staff are working under immense pressure.
The Practice takes it very seriously if any member of staff is treated in an abusive or violent way. Aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the police being contacted.
We ask you to treat your GPs and our staff courteously at all times.
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 2nd April, 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
Willingham Medical Practice – April 2025
