Great Shelford health news
Please find below details of when the Shelford Surgery will be open over the Christmas and New Year break.
Please remember to order your repeat prescriptions in plenty of time so that you do not run out of your medication over the holidays. The table below shows you when you will be able to collect your prescriptions, depending on that date you place your order.
Don’t forget, there are Prescription Collection Points at Sawston, Linton and Shelford. Sign up today via cpicb.grantadispensing@nhs.net to pick up your medication at your convenience 24/7, including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years’ Day.
Whilst we are closed, if you need urgent medical assistance please use NHS 111 service. If you have an emergency that poses an immediate threat to life, please ring 999.
Be prepared for common health problems by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home. Your local pharmacist can offer you advice and guidance on the best treatment for you. Pharmacists can now also prescribe some medications under the “Pharmacy First” service. Please go to https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/pharmacy-services/ for further information and eligibility criteria.
We wish you all a healthy and peaceful holiday season.
Posted Nov 28 2025
Great Shelford health news
Are you booked in for your flu jab yet? If you are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination, it’s not too late to book into one of our flu clinics running throughout October. While you are here we can also check if there are any other vaccines you may be eligible for.
Ring now on 0300 234 5555 and choose the Granta site of your choice or wait to receive your SMS link via your mobile’ phone to book your appointment.
And finally, it’s time for me to say goodbye. After 17 years, I am hanging up my NHS hat! It has truly been both a privilege and a pleasure to work in primary care. While we are all aware of the many challenges facing GP practices and the wider NHS, I feel very proud to have played my small part in it all. I will greatly miss my colleagues and, of course, all of you.
With kindest regards
Sandra East
Head of Patient Services
Granta Medical Practice
Great Shelford
Posted Sept 22 2025
Great Shelford health news
Vaccines Update
As we approach the colder months, there are a number of vaccines that can help protect you against serious illness, including:
FLU - this vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It’s offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
COVID-19 - the Covid-19 vaccine helps protect against Covid-19, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness for some people. It’s usually offered on the NHS in early winter to people who need extra protection from Covid-19.
RSV - the RSV vaccine helps protect against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) that can make babies and older adults seriously ill. This is offered all year round.
SHINGLES - this vaccine helps protect against shingles and is offered all year round. Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash. It can sometimes lead to serious problems such as long-lasting pain, hearing loss or blindness. You’re more likely to get shingles, and it is more likely to cause serious problems, as you get older or if you have a severely weakened immune system.
PNEUMOCOCCAL (pneumonia) - this vaccine is offered all year round. It helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis.
Book your flu vaccine with us and when you come in we can check what other vaccines you are eligible for.
To book your flu vaccination please call 0300 234 5555 and choose the Granta site of your choice or wait to receive your SMS link via your mobile phone to book your appointment.
For further information about all of the vaccines available please go to www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/
Sandra East
Head of Patient Services
Great Shelford health news
A company has launched a private MRI and ultrasound service in Great Shelford.
Momentm is on Magog Court, offering fast, professional MRI and ultrasound scans without the long NHS waits from August 2025. Reservations are been taken now.
No GP referral is needed. Scans are from just £195 with transparent pricing. Results are available in 48 hours on average.
The company has expert Cambridge consultants and state-of-the-art equipment.
Comprehensive men’s and women’s health screening available.
Book online at www.momentmhealth.co.uk
Posted July 16 2025
GP surgery flu vaccinations 2025 update
It’s that time of year again. If you book your flu vaccine with the Great Shelford GP surgery, they can also check that you are up to date with all of the other vaccines you may be eligible for.
The flu vaccination programme starts in October for all eligible adults, except pregnant women and children, who will be offered the vaccination from late September. Pregnant women are vaccinated to protect both mum and baby in first few weeks of life. Children get flu earlier than adults as they are “super spreaders”.
You should get vaccinated because:
Getting vaccinated against flu can help protect you, your family and friends.
Everyone is susceptible to flu, even if you are in good health and eat well.
You can be infected with the virus and have no symptoms but can still pass flu virus to others,
including family and friends, patients or residents.
The ‘flu vaccine has a good safety record and will help protect you. It cannot give you flu.
The impact of flu on frail and vulnerable patients can be fatal and outbreaks can cause severe
disruption in communities, care homes and hospitals.
You are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination if you:
are aged 65 and over
have certain long term health conditions
are pregnant
live in a care home
are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer’s allowance
live with someone who has a weakened immune system.
Additionally, eligible children include:
children aged 2 to 3 years
school aged children (reception to year 11)
children aged 6 months to 17 years with certain long term health conditions
This year we are also giving the Covid-19 vaccination at the same time as the flu, if you are
eligible. You are eligible if you are:
a resident in a care home for older adults
aged 75 years and over
aged 6 months and over and are severely immunocompromised
Flu Clinic dates
Saturday 27 th September – Granta Sawston (children and pregnant women only)
Sunday 28 th September – Granta Royston Health Centre (children and pregnant women only)
Saturday 4 th October – Granta Sawston
Sunday 5 th October – Granta Royston Health Centre
Saturday 11 th October – Granta Linton
Saturday 11 th October – Granta Barley
Saturday 11 th October – Granta Shelford
Saturday 18 th October – Granta Sawston
Sunday 19 th October – Granta Royston Health Centre
Saturday 25 th October – Granta Linton
Saturday 25 th October – Granta Shelford
All flu clinics run from 08:30 to 16:45
To book your flu vaccination please call 0300 234 5555 and choose the Granta site of your choice
or wait to receive your SMS link via your mobile phone to book your appointment.
For further information about the flu vaccination please go to www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine
Sandra East
Head of Patient Services
Posted July 16 2025
Highly successful Shelford dental campaign
Around 400 hundred Shelford residents signed up as NHS patients at the village dental surgery following a campaign in the spring.
"We have taken on approximately 400 new NHS patients in April and May," said a spokesman for the Great Shelford Dental Surgery.
Another 200 people are now on their waiting list.
"We are trying to see as many patients as we are able to subject to NHS funding" said a spokesman for the Great Shelford Surgery on Woollards Lane.
"Please note that since the introduction of this current NHS contract in 2006, patients are not registered with the practice. NHS appointments/treatment can only be provided subject to our NHS capacity/budget availability."
The successful initiative in the spring was supported by NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, the local Integrated Care Board (ICB). The Shelford Dental Surgery is part of a pilot for which funding has been agreed for the financial year of 2025/2026, subject to a maximum cap, that will enable them to deliver 10% extra capacity above what we had originally been budgeted to deliver.
The ICB is funding this pilot by using a likely underspend within the dental budget and reinvesting this to boost capacity through the pilot.
Posted June 9 2025
Hay Fever guide
As we enter spring, the hay fever season begins and currently tree pollens are the cause of your symptoms (see pollen calendar). The most common symptoms are runny, itchy and blocked nose, but also itchy eyes.
Things you can do to help:
-
When you come inside in the evening have a shower to wash off the pollen and change your clothes.
-
Close your windows as pollen levels are greatest at dusk & dawn.
-
Try avoid leaving washing outside to dry (they will collect pollen).
-
Use a barrier cream like Vaseline in your nostrils to stop some of the pollens entering.
-
Use wrap around sun glasses.
There are lots of safe medicines that can help. Ideally start them 2 weeks before your hay fever season starts. They work well together.
Antihistamines: Stick to the non-sedating antihistamines (Cetirizine, Loratidine and Fexofenadine). They are very good for runny, itchy symptoms but not so good for blocked nose symptoms. In children, I often recommend giving one dose in the morning and another in the evening (so double the dose-especially if symptoms are bad). Please avoid using sedating antihistamines such as Chlorpheniramine (Piriton).
Nasal Sprays: Nasal steroid sprays are very good for itchy, runny and blocked nose symptoms and are very safe. In children I recommend Fluticasone or Mometasone nasal sprays as very little is absorbed by the body and they work locally. Use them with the correct technique- see https://www.itchysneezywheezy.co.uk. They can be bought over the counter and prescribed by GPs in younger children.
Eye drops: Sodium Chromoglycate eye drops do help.
If your symptoms are still a problem despite this, then pollen desensitisation is an option in specialist clinics. Avoid steroid (Kenalog) injections due to safety concerns.
Have a great spring and summer!
Dr Gary Stiefel
Consultant in Paediatric Allergy
Shelford Resident
Posted March 30 2025
Shelford Granta GP practice May update
As you will be aware, GP surgeries and hospitals continue to experience increased patient demand. Between us all, we can help alleviate some of that demand by using alternative health services where appropriate.
Your local pharmacy can also offer treatments and prescribe medication for some conditions without you needing to see your GP. This service is called Pharmacy First and conditions that can be treated and prescribed for include:
-
Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
-
Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
-
Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
-
Shingles (aged 18 and over)
-
Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
-
Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
-
Urinary tract infections or UTI’s (women aged 16 to 64 years)
Don’t forget, your local pharmacy can also help you with generalised pain and swelling, sore throats, bites and stings, headaches, constipation and diarrhoea, colds and flu, mouth ulcers, tiredness, and vomiting.
If you contact us with an eye problem, our reception teams may signpost you to the Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS). MECS is made up of a team of eye specialists who treat non-emergency eye conditions that do not need hospital attention. Conditions covered include acute red eyes, acute irritated or inflamed eyes, sticky discharge or acute watery eyes, in-growing eyelashes, foreign bodies in the eye and recently occurring flashes or floaters.
Finally, you can treat many minor illnesses such as colds and coughs, sore throats, and upset stomachs easily at home. Make sure you keep stocked up with health care essentials such as pain relief (paracetamol), cough and sore throat remedies, a first aid kit, upset stomach treatment, rehydration treatment and heartburn / indigestion treatment. Having these essentials at home will not only save you time, and help you feel better quicker, but will also help save the NHS much needed resources.
If you require any further information about any of the above services please do not hesitate to speak to your local pharmacy, our reception teams or email us on cpicb.contact.gmp@nhs.net
Sandra East
Head of Patient Services
Posted April 25 2025
Free online programme helps local residents lower blood pressure without medication
A new health initiative is bringing hope to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents struggling with high blood pressure. The free online program, delivered by The Mindful Life Group CIC and fully funded by our NHS Integrated Care Board, is already showing impressive results for participants.
The program is designed for anyone with elevated blood pressure. This is incredibly important to treat, particularly in relation to Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Data from the British Heart Foundation shows that in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough alone, 94,000 people are living with a CVD, and someone dies from a CVD every 5 hours. After completing the program, a previous participant had their blood pressure levels drop from the hypertensive to pre-hypertension levels, she told us: “I've been back since and the GP is more than happy with my blood pressure, without going on medication.”
Unlike traditional medical approaches that focus solely on medication, this program teaches practical skills that participants can use every day. The course includes simple mindfulness exercises, specialised breathing techniques, and opportunities to connect with others facing similar challenges. "Not only can these practices improve how your heart functions, but regular practice can support your resilience and help you to maintain many heart-healthy behaviours, such as getting enough sleep," says Dr. Adele Pacini, Director of the Mindful Life Group.
There’s no need to worry about transportation or fitting appointments into a busy schedule. The entire program is delivered online by qualified clinical psychologists, meaning participants can join from their living room. This makes it particularly valuable for busy caregivers, people with mobility challenges, and anyone who feels more comfortable at home.
If you or someone you know could benefit from this program, getting started is simple. Visit the website at the-mindful-life.com, or spread the word to family and friends who might benefit. GP’s and healthcare professionals are encouraged to refer suitable patients, but most people tend to self-refer.
The next course is due to start in May 2025 and spaces are filling quickly. Don’t miss the opportunity to take control of your health with this free, evidence-based program that’s already making a difference in our community.
For more information about enrolment or to learn more about The Mindful Life Group’s evidence-based programs, please visit their website: the-mindful-life.com or Facebook page: facebook.com/TheMindfulLifeGroupCIC
This programme is fully funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board and is available at no cost to eligible participants.
Posted April 25 2025
Shelford health news
Great Shelford dentists taking on new NHS patients
The Great Shelford Dental Surgery in Woollards Lane is taking on NHS patients.
"As we are overwhelmed with enquiries, we do have to operate w aiting list," they said.
"We are working our way through the list as efficiently as possible.
"If you would like to be added to our waiting list, please email info@greatshelforddental.com
Posted Feb 26 2025
Great Shelford Granta GP practice April update
Spring 2025 Covid-19 Booster
The Covid-19 vaccine helps protect against Covid-19, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It is offered on the NHS to people at increased risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19.
This year’s spring booster will be available from 1st April to 17th June 2025, and is recommended for people at risk from Covid-19.
You may be offered the booster if you:
-
Are aged 75 or over,
-
Are aged 6 months to 74 years and have a weakened immune system because of a health condition or treatment,
-
Live in a care home for older adults.
NHS UK will contact you directly if you are eligible for the spring booster.
Granta Medical Practices will be delivering Covid-19 vaccines to our own patients and the general public via the National Booking System on NHS UK. Please may we respectfully ask that you do not try to book directly via our reception as they do not have access to the National Booking System.
We will also be vaccinating older care home residents. Housebound patients will be vaccinated by one of the community services.
If you have any queries about the spring booster or Covid-19 in general, please go to www.nhs.uk
Sandra East
Head of Patient Services
Correspondence address: Sawston Medical Centre, London Road, Sawston, CB22 3HU.
Great Shelford Grant GP practice February update
The NHS is again in the throes of extreme winter pressures due to high levels of infectious diseases such as flu, Covid, RSV and norovirus. You can help stop the spread by following the three C’s:-
CLEAN: Wash your hands often, using soap and warm water or use an alcohol-based hand rub
COVER: Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. Use a tissue or your upper sleeve, not your hands.
CONTAIN: If you get sick, stay home until you’re well again. Try not to spread your germs to others.
Don’t forget you can treat many minor illnesses at home with a well-stocked medicine cabinet. Colds and coughs, sore throats, and upset stomachs can all be treated by having a supply of health care essentials such as pain relief (paracetamol / ibuprofen), cough and sore throat remedies, a first aid kit, upset stomach treatment, rehydration treatment and heartburn / indigestion treatment.
And finally … it isn’t too late to get a flu jab – they are available until the end of March – just give us a ring to book your appointment!
Wishing you all a safe and healthy February.
Sandra East
Head of Patient Services
Posted Jan 20 2025