Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff15th September 2023
Generally it's a very, very good surgery. The staff are very helpful. Sometimes I can't easily get through on the phone, but it's been better recently. It's obvious that the staff work hard and try their best.
I have just called into the surgery to collect my repeat prescription, to find the dispensary closed - at 2.20pm! When I asked the receptionist why, she said it was closed between 12 and 2.45pm. What a lunch hour!! On returning home I logged on to the new website and nowhere could I find any information for the opening times of the dispensary.
Went to collect my prescription which was short again. I rejoined the queue and a worker who was going along the queue asking what you were there for. Told her i was short one inhaler - she said i was only due 2 inhalations but my care plan clearly says 10 inhalations. I tried to explain how frightening it is to run out of breath and not have an inhaler. (I keep one upstairs and one downstairs) then I take the downstairs one out with me each time I go out. I had run out of both. She told me to come back when they weren’t busy!! I previously had exactly the same sort of problem with them when they insisted i didn't need a blue steroid card when I was on prednisolone steroid. This post comes after a long list of ‘mistakes’ ….I havent made a formal complaint cos I would be worried it would reflect on my care.
I can't thank the surgery enough for their outstanding service. Appointments are always accommodated for our daughter without any issues and referrals have been made swiftly where necessary. General Practice Nurse Jenny has such amazing skill and knowledge with diagnostics and appropriate care and treatment. She has a lovely manner and puts my daughter at ease, taking into account the patient's needs, wishes and feedback. An outstanding example of person centred care, thank you!
Reply from Acle Medical Partnership
Thank you so much for your kind words and your feedback. I am really pleased to hear that your experience when visiting our Surgery was positive. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with this feedback. I will pass your kind comments on to our staff.
Outstanding Care, Every Time
5
Submitted by Rose Robinson10th January 2023
I have been cared for by Jenny for approximately 10 years now. Jenny always shows such patience, understanding and genuine care, as well as going above and beyond the initial concern. Jenny finds solutions, is open-minded about alternative treatment plans and follows up as needed. She is thorough, honest and an asset to Acle Medical Practise and all it's patients. All staff at the practise are cheerful, patient and kind, even whilst working under the most difficult of circumstances. I'd recommend Acle Practise to anyone, and feel safe and confident under their care. I've always managed to get an appointment when I've needed one, and find the online request form far more efficient than phoning the appointment line. Nothing is ever too much and staff make being unwell a much nicer experience!
This branch is not fit for purpose. Firstly there is no confidentiality at all. The receptionist at the front desk takes and receives calls in front of patients who are waiting in the waiting room, there is no privacy at all. To makes things worse she can multitask aswell and she will interrupt the call and check in patients (again with no confidentiality). I have personally been on both sides of this, I have been the patient checking in whilst the receptionist has been on the phone so the other patient on the phone has heard her recall back my name and date of birth for example and check me in for my appointment. And I also have been the patient on the phone and then been interrupted whilst she checks in patients into the waiting room, which yes it can get very confusing who she is talking to and very frustrating, especially when you're trying to find out information and she starts talking to someone else!
So that's the first thing.
Secondly, whilst waiting in the waiting room you can clearly hear the (who I presume are the secretary's) also taking and answering calls and they are very loud with no confidentiality again. I have heard all types of information, in a very silent and tiny waiting room it's extremely hard not to hear! These secretarial staff also speak to the receptionist on the front desk about tasks, shouting back and forth to each other. It's extremely unprofessional.
The receptionist will regularly leave the front desk aswell for periods at a time and quite often when I've been waiting to be seen, there will be a que where the receptionist has gone AWOL to go and chat to the secretary staff.
This medical practice does not contact patients back about any footfalls they put in place. They put tasks in or notes but they never get actioned. The patient will have to ring up and chase their own care to ensure they get the right care. This shouldn't be how a GP surgery functions. There is no care to patients here. Patients are not their number one priority. Doctors leave their trays full and unlooked at for weeks at a time with no thought for their patients. The secretary's and GPS do not follow up with their patients and don't let them know about results, letters, tests etc. If a patient doesn't call in and ask multiple times then nothing will be done and the patient will be forgotten about.
One of the doctors in particular is completely incompetent and doesn't even know how to read bloodwork and how to link it with an existing condition that a patient has. (myself). She refused to send copies of medical information which firstly is not allowed (freedom of information), and secondly she read my bloodwork wrong, didn't look into my existing conditions or she did and is so incompetent that she didn't link the two together. Either way I had to have another doctor call me and confirm that yes my bloodwork is absolutely fine and in fact my bloods look the best they've been in years if not ever.
I have many more stories to tell about this GP surgery which I will not write here as I wish to stay anonymous. But I will say if another GP surgery falls into my catchment area anytime soon then I will be moving at the very first chance I get.
used the online booking system at 7am call back at 8:30 appointment at 10.30 same day. Seen at 10:32 left at 10.45 with a fulfilled prescription. I'm really sorry for those who have a poor experience but mine was excellent. Acle medical partnership also helped me with my mental health a couple of years ago and I cant thank them enough for their compassion, diagnosis and treatment.
The appointment system isn’t fit for purpose now having to wait 2 to 3 weeks for a doctors appointment and then the appointment is with a nurse practitioner the last set of blood tests I had I had to wait 2 weeks for an appointment.
It’s almost impossible to keep to the same Doctor which is rather important when you have a long term illness.
When actually able to see a Doctor or Nurse I believe the standard of care is good but unfortunately that doesn’t make up for the appointment service which I think is appalling hence the one star.
After having Covid I am left with a tight heavy chest and out of breath. I also have asthma. I feel I may have a chest infection which if not treated lands me in hospital. Dr told me it was un-likely as I'm not coughing anything up although I had explained that when I lay down it feels like my chest is being compressed and fluid moves up but as soon as I get up in goes back down. So just assuming it wasn't a chest infection I was told I couldn't be seen until the next afternoon. In the 26yrs of having asthma I have NEVER been unable to see a Dr the same day when having issues. Dr told me they were short staffed as a colleague had called in sick. They are supposed to be a 9 Doctor practice.....where are all these Dr's??? I hardly ever need a Dr and good job too as you can't get to see one. No wonder A&E are struggling, this is where I will most likely end up today.
I have recently changed to this Practice and I am extremely impressed with the service I have received. The phone is answered promptly and the receptionists are friendly and helpful. The GP has called me and scheduled appointments around my work commitments and I highly value the 7am appointments. I would definitely recommend this GP surgery for superb service.