Willingham Medical Practice Newsletter – September 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

Alzheimer’s Society – CAMBRIDGESHIRE DEMENTIA SUPPORT SERVICE

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT INJECTIONS

Despite recent media attention, our GPs are currently unable to prescribe weight management injections directly to our patients. Only a very small number of people will meet the strict eligibility criteria for the initial NHS roll out of this medication. These criteria have been set nationally:

• You have a BMI of 40kg/m2 or above (or 37.5 kg/m2 for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds)

AND at least FOUR out of the following five health conditions which have already been diagnosed by your GP or other health professional:

• Established Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension requiring blood pressure lowering therapy
• Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
• Obstructive sleep apnoea where treatment is indicated i.e. continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
• Dyslipidaemia requiring treatment

If you meet these criteria, your GP can refer you to the Tier 3 Weight Management Service provided by Healthy You. Patients not meeting the criteria listed above should not seek referral for Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®️) at this time.

HEALTHY YOU WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Would you like help to lose weight? Healthy You offer a weight management service FREE of charge for those that are residents of Cambridgeshire. If eligible, you can register for Slimming World, Weight Watchers or the Healthy You programme for a duration of 12 weeks. To refer into this programme please call 0333 005 0093 or fill in the self-referral form via their website Healthyyou.org.uk

HOSPITAL BLOODS

Unfortunately the surgery does not have the capacity to carry out hospital requested blood tests. If you have been asked by your hospital consultant/clinic to arrange a blood test then please use the Phlebotomy Clinic at the hospital or the drive-through Outpatient Phlebotomy Service at the Newmarket Road Park & Ride, referring to your hospital clinic letter for further information. Please also note that the surgery does not carry out blood tests requested by private consultants or that are required for private appointments.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS

Repeat medication can be ordered via SystmOnline, 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.

PRIVATE INSURANCE WORK

The GPs will complete most private insurance documentation (e.g. claim forms for holiday cancellations, private healthcare questionnaires, factual medical reports etc.) however, these are not covered under the NHS contract. As a result, because the GPs need to prioritise their clinical work, these types of requests may take a while so please allow 30 days for your request to be completed and be aware that charges will apply.

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.

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 3^rd September, 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 – September 2025