Petroc Group Practice

27/04/2026

!! Important information regarding Income support and prescriptions !!

Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance exemptions to end from April 2026

Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance are to be abolished by the Department for Work and Pension (DWP) from 1 April 2026. Some payments will continue to be made for a two-week run-on period to provide transitional protection, which means that people may continue to claim exemption from prescription charges on the grounds of Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance until the end of 14 April 2026. After 14 April 2026, these legacy benefits will no longer provide a valid basis for entitlement to exemption from NHS prescription charges. Please note: Income-related Employment and Support Allowance remains a valid exemption category and patients in receipt of this benefit should continue to select Box H on the reverse of prescription forms and/or EPS tokens.

From 15 April 2026, the prescription exemption categories for Income Support (Box H) and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (Box K) will no longer be valid reasons for exemption from NHS prescription charges for people previously receiving these benefits. Prescriptions dispensed on or before 14 April 2026 with a declaration for the Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance exemption category will continue to be treated as exempt, even if the prescriptions are submitted for payment after this date.

The reverse of FP10 prescription forms and EPS tokens will be updated in due course to remove the Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance exemption categories. Pharmacy IT systems will also need to be updated to remove or hide these exemption reasons from selection/view. We will update pharmacy teams as soon as we receive confirmation of the timeline for these changes.

These changes are part of the ongoing migration from legacy benefits to Universal Credit and follow the removal of Tax Credit exemption category in April 2025. People who are in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance may qualify for Universal Credit. However, it is important to note that Universal Credit does not automatically entitle people to free NHS prescriptions. To continue being entitled to free NHS prescriptions, patients must meet the Universal Credit criteria for help with health costs based on their last complete assessment period, or qualify under another valid exemption category. More information can be found on the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website.

If your pharmacy IT system is enabled with Real Time Exemption Checking (RTEC), this can be used to check whether a patient has a valid exemption before dispensing their prescription. If an exemption is confirmed by RTEC, patients will not need to provide proof of entitlement to free prescriptions or make a declaration on the reverse of the EPS token.

Patients can also be directed to the NHSBSA eligibility checker to check if they are entitled to free NHS prescriptions. If a patient is unsure whether they are entitled to free NHS prescriptions, pharmacy staff should advise the patient to pay for their prescription and provide them with an FP57 receipt and refund form at the point of payment. To claim a refund, the patient can return to any community pharmacy with their FP57 form along with evidence of their entitlement to free NHS prescriptions.

16/04/2026

15/04/2026

📢 COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics – Now Available to Book
Below are the upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinics for eligible patients:
📍 Location: Padstow Community Hub, Lawns Car Park, PL28 8EB
📅 Dates:
• 30 April 2026
• 18 May 2026
⏰ Time: 09:00 – 16:00

If you are eligible for the Spring COVID-19 vaccination, please make sure you book your appointment in advance.
⚠️ Please note:
Appointments are only available via the National Booking Service (NBS) and cannot be booked directly through the practice.
👉 Book your appointment here:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/vaccination-and-booking-services/book-covid-19-vaccination/
Please share this information with anyone who may be eligible to help ensure everyone has the opportunity to stay protected.
Thank you 💙

Book, change or cancel a COVID-19 vaccination appointment online.

15/04/2026

Stroke Wellbeing Day
5th May 2026
St Erme Community Centre
Castle Field Trispen
TR4 9BD

This is open to all stroke survivors, families and people interested in prevention, for example anyone that has had a TIA.
See poster for more information.

13/04/2026

💛 With Stress Awareness Month underway, it may be useful to know that stress can sometimes make asthma symptoms feel more noticeable or harder to manage.

💨 You might find it useful to consider what helps you feel calmer - rest, keeping to your asthma routine, or reducing small day to day pressures where possible.

👉 More info from Asthma + Lung UK:
https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/conditions/asthma/asthma-triggers/stress

10/04/2026

Due to sickness across our reception team today we have very limited staff working. We ask for your patience if contacting us.

02/04/2026

💊 Help Us Reduce Medication Waste 💊

We kindly ask all patients to only request medications that they are currently using and need. If you have stopped taking a medication, please let us know so we can update your records and avoid unnecessary dispensing.

Medications are costly for the practice. In many cases, the price we pay for drugs is higher than what we are reimbursed, with some items costing £40 or more per packet. The amount we are paid back is also reduced by a standard deduction (known as “clawback”), meaning we often receive less than what the medication actually costs us.

Behind every unused prescription is NHS funding that can never be recovered. Medication waste costs the NHS around £300 million every year — money that could instead fund nurses, treatments, hospitals, and other vital services.

Unfortunately, when unused medications are returned to us, they cannot be reused or given to other patients. Due to strict safety guidance, once medicines leave the dispensary, their quality cannot be guaranteed. They must therefore be safely destroyed — which also costs the practice money.

Recently, we had a patient return 14 months’ worth of unused asthma inhalers and other medications, with a value of hundreds of pounds. This level of waste places a significant financial burden on both the practice and the NHS.

✔️ Please check what you already have before ordering
✔️ Only request what you genuinely need
✔️ Let us know if you’ve stopped any medications
✔️ Speak to us if your treatment changes

By working together, we can reduce waste, protect NHS resources, and ensure medications are available for those who truly need them.

Thank you for your support 💙

30/03/2026

📦 Pack a “holiday health kit”

Heading to Cornwall this Easter?

Pop a simple holiday health kit in your bag to help avoid unnecessary trips for minor issues.
✔️ Regular medications
✔️ Pain relief, plasters, antiseptic wipes
✔️ Sun cream (yes — even in spring!)
✔️ Rehydration sachets
✔️ Basic first-aid bits

A little prep helps you enjoy a stress free break. 🌤️

For more advice on where to go if you’re feeling ill or are injured, visit our website: https://bit.ly/479IiTc

26/03/2026

We have a wonderful team of Social Prescribers who are able to help with a variety of things such as making changes to your diet and lifestyle, social connections, money advice, and much more. Contact the surgery if you think you would benefit from their support.

Social Prescribing Day is an annual celebration of the people, organisations and communities who make social prescribing happen. Since 2019, thousands of local, national and international organisations, link workers, medical professionals, academics and students have taken part across the world.

Every year, we have joined together to hold events, share ideas and highlight the impact of social prescribing on people and communities. Together, we want to raise awareness of what social prescribing is, how it works, and how it changes lives.

Find out more: www.socialprescribingacademy.org.uk

25/03/2026

Due to staff shortages today, our clinical team is operating with limited capacity.
To ensure we can provide safe care, we will only be able to deal with urgent medical requests today.
Routine enquiries, administrative requests, and non-urgent matters may take longer than usual to respond to.
We kindly ask for your patience and understanding while our team works hard to support those who need urgent care.
If your request is not urgent, please consider contacting us on another day when our full team is available.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

24/03/2026

This year, the theme is ‘Endometriosis Doesn’t Wait’. Endometriosis doesn’t wait whilst you’re trying to get a diagnosis or access care. It doesn’t wait for your career. Your education. Your social life or your relationships.

Find out more here https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/