Willingham Medical Practice Newsletter – October 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 5050
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.
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 SystmOnline, by using the NHS App or telephoning the surgery and speaking to our reception team.
Winter Fuel Allowance – 2025 Update
 | Following a review by central government for 2025, most pensioners in England and Wales will receive the Winter Fuel Payment. The payment will be reinstated for all pensioners with a taxable income below £35,000 per year. If your income is above that threshold, you will still receive the payment and it will be recovered through the tax system. If you’re eligible, you’ll get a letter in October or November and most eligible people will be paid automatically in November or December. If you haven’t received a payment before, and believe you are eligible, you can contact the Winter Fuel Payment by telephone, post or online to make a claim. Be aware of potential scams related to winter fuel payment claims. |
| For further information please visit https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment or telephone 0800 731 0160 | |
MEDICATION CHANGES
If you have been contacted regarding an unexpected change to your medication, this is likely to be due to an NHS policy to ensure that patients are receiving the most medically appropriate and cost-effective treatment. As a result, to keep up to date with the latest national and local guidelines, changes to treatment are sometimes necessary. If you have any queries or concerns these should be directed to Spirit Health by email to info@spirit-healthcare.co.uk or by telephoning their 24 hour helpline on 0800 881 5423.
Vaccinations
| The Pneumococcal Vaccine is available year round for everyone who is aged 65 years and over. |
| The RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) Vaccine is available year round for everyone who is aged between 75 and 79 years of age and for all pregnant women who are over 28 weeks. |
| The Shingles Vaccine is available year round for everyone who is aged between 70 and 79 years of age 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. Please note, when booking your second (booster) shingles vaccination, that this cannot be administered any sooner (even by one day) than six calendar months after the first vaccination was given. |
Adult Flu Clinics – Support Your Surgery and Book With Us
 | OVER 65’s CLINICS (eligible if you are turning 65 on or before 31/03/26) Saturday 11/10/25 at the Willingham Medical Practice Saturday 18/10/25 at the Longstanton Surgery Under 65’s If you are eligible (aged between 18–64 and have certain health conditions, are pregnant, live in a care home, are a main carer or live with someone who has a weakened immune system) please contact our reception team to book. |
Patient Participation Group (PPG) Meetings
The PPG brings together patients, GPs and staff from a GP practice. They meet to discuss issues relating to their surgery and the services provided to patients. This allows GPs and staff to work with patients to plan services which best meet the needs of the people who use those services. All of our patients are welcome.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 12th November, 7pm-9pm at the Willingham Medical Practice.
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 1st October, 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 – October 2025
