The Calverton Surgery Newsletter – October 2025
As we head into Autum our practice flu clinics are filling up fast. As explained previously we will not be offering Covid boosters but many of our patients will be eligible and I thought it worth letting you know who you are and how to book a slot. Essentially this will be all adults aged 75 years and over; residents in a care home for older adults and persons aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (search on ‘tables 3 and 4 of the Covid 19 chapter of the Green book’ to find out if unsure). Book a Covid booster if you are eligible via the National Booking Service (NBS) available through the NHS App or by ringing 119. Covid vaccination will be available until 31st Jan 2026 but with the aim being to get the bulk done by 19th December this year. For those of you eligible for flu jabs, the recommendation is to have by the end of November if possible as flu cases particularly rise over the Winter months. If you have missed out on a practice flu appnt, they can also be arranged via the NBS up until 31st March.
Next an update on missed appointments. The overall DNA total for August was 151 which is down from 212 in July which is excellent, but it would be amazing if we could continue that momentum.
Also, a reminder that appointments are of different durations. Blood test appointment in particular are only 5 minutes long and in those 5 minute the clinician has to call the patient, take the bloods, label the samples and write up the notes. We don’t timetable catch ups so If a patient is late by even 1-2 minutes, they will be asked to rebook as this doesn’t leave enough time to complete the appointment properly.
Finally, I am aware of the pressure on our phone lines particularly early in the morning. If your call is less urgent, please consider phoning later in the day. Also, you can email in non-urgent questions or concerns via nnicb-nn.calverton-practice@nhs.net , or contact us via the website https://www.calvertonpractice.co.uk/ where on the home page there is a ‘Contact us online’ link. Again, we ask this not to be used for urgent problems as some requests may not be looked at on the day they come in.