Address: Market Street, East Harling, Norwich, NR16 2ADTelephone: 01953717204Website: www.eh-khsurgery.co.uk
Feedback
273 responses from the local community
Can't get hold of a doctor
2
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff16th February 2024
You just can't get hold of a doctor, you have to see a nurse or other healthcare professional who are very good but they can't cover everything. Are these other roles about money rather than being appropriate? I'd hardly ever used 111 but recently I've used it a lot as I can't see a GP. In fact, I ended up having to go private for consultations and an operation last year as it was impossible at East Harling. I'm even considering moving as my husband and I need to have medical support we can rely on now we're older.
The receptionists are good within the restraints they're having to work in and I'd give them 4 stars. You can book for in a month's time but nothing sooner and they do try to help you not be sent to Kenninghall (as I can't get there) but it seems the partners say no and to send you there.
I had a recent incident where I couldn't see a doctor so called 111 and that doctor said as Harling aren't part of the scheme where 111 can book you in with their GPs I would need to have an ambulance to get to hospital. However a little while later they somehow managed to get me in with the Harling doctor.
When you do get in, it's often a locum and they seem to only let you talk about 1 condition at a time even though really they should take a holistic approach as things are usually linked.
I have previously complained about the confusion caused by implementing the new computer system and two instances of diverting our appointment from East Harling to Kenninghall without notifying us but the actual medical service is excellent.
Since moving to EH three years ago we have never failed to get a same day appointment when one of the family is poorly. Speak as I find, this is a good practice with some dedicated staff.
Edited versions -
- Being told they can’t see my 6 year old with a suspected ear infection and I should just go to A&E (because they’re clearly not busy enough dealing with real emergencies)
- turn up for an appointment (checked time and location multiple times) check in said we were next, 40 minutes later we had still not been seen, asked at reception to be told there is no physical appointment for us. This was for my 20 week old baby on prescription formula and we’d been told he needed an appointment before he could have anymore milk!)
- husband has an appointment with a physio - told he’s got tennis elbow - pain killers were to be prescribed - chases multiple times - prescription is finally received 2 weeks after the appointment
- saw a specialist at hospital - phoned the doctors twice to check that the information had been received from the hospital and my medication would be ready. Was told it would be. Went to collect medication and told there is no prescription ready for me. The medication was time sensitive.
This surgery has an ongoing problem with inbound calls. It seems that you are ALWAYS number 15 in a queue, and sometimes you are number 2, but that doe snot mean you will be served anytime soon as a number two slot will still make you wait on average 20 mins for someone to answer. What makes this worse, is the fact that everyone know accept this as a problem and go to the surgery in person to make an appointment. Which means you can be yet again number 5 in a queue whilst someone at the window will take 15 mins to help one person. The last time at least someone from the back office came out and help manage the queue. This surgery needs a dedicated switch board operator who can handle calls allowing the person at the window to deal with walk-ins and assist switch board when not busy.
This surgery also uses "paramedics" or senior nurses to look after patients with minor illnesses. Even though this is a great way of using NJH time and money - being told after such a visit - "Oh well the NHS is not paying for that - you will have to go private" makes me think - "Oh well my tax payers money is paying your salary, I think without me you will find that you wont have a job" This no care attitude or dismissive attitude is just endemic and trying to see an actual doctor pointless. On another occasion (this doctor has now left) the doctor actually googled my symptoms in front of me. You cant help but get the impression that people are either very unhappy working in a busy small village practice or they are bored and move on, leaving us with people with no skills and certainly no decorum.
There also seem to be an enormous amount of staff - as the waiting room is empty but there is seldom a parking spot in a very tiny village with very limited parking. It is worth pointing out that the parking in question is for the surgery only and if there are only 2 patients who are the cars belonging to?
I had to have an Ofsted Health Questionnaire form completed for my new job. I left this form into East Harling Service which it tooks 4 weeks to complete, even though I was advised at the time it would be 3 days to complete. I then received various messages via Teext messages from the surgery which was conflicting information. I was then advised the cost of completing thos form would be £120 and whwn I queried this high fee I was advised they guessed a fee. I then found out that my medical records had now been received from my previous GP practice even though I moved to East Harling/Kenninghall Practice nearly 4 years ago and had a separate medical form completed by my current practice 3 years ago. The telephone line system is terrible and when I shared this to a receptionist in East Harling practice they laughed and said "we know it is terrible as the new system doesn't work." The delay in completing this form has delayed me 2 weeks in starting my new job and not having an income. I formally raised a separate concern about my GP to CQC 4 months ago and asked CQC for outcome following my formal concern which I have not had a response. I work as qualified nurse and social worker in the Health and Social Care Sector.
The staff are all trying their very hardest to provide the best service that they can. A lot of changes have been made at the surgery, but more are needed to make it as effective as it can. When things are critical medically the team have in my experience have pulled together to treat the patient. However it does feel like they are in crisis mode the majority of the time. My understanding is that the gp visits to the local care home aren't happening as expected. This can cause distress to elderly and vulnerable adults. I do understand that the NHS as a whole is struggling, hopefully this will improve over time especially given the commitment of the staff.
It is impossible to book an appointment to see a doctor about a non urgent but concerning problem. Reception staff are pleasant but obviously have to work as instructed. No appointments can be booked more than 4 weeks ahead so trying to get a follow up appointment a few weeks after an initial one to check on progress of a treatment regimen is frustrating. Waits in the telephone are totally unacceptable. There is a constant turnover in staff. Doctors leave with alarming regularity so there is no continuity of care. Another one left recently and so has the practice manager who made superhuman efforts to improve things unfortunately to no avail. He arranged local meetings both in East Harling and Kenninghall to gather local views and the one in East Harling was impossible to get in to as so many patients wanted to attend. No partners bothered to attended these meetings. In my opinion this practice needs to be taken into special measures as the patient base is not getting a safe service.
Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff12th January 2024
I go to East Harling and Kenninghall Medical Practice. You can never get appointments at the surgery. You phone up at half 8 and get the same answer phone saying there are no appointments today. They have nurses but there are never any doctors. It frightens me a bit that there are no doctors as I can't get to the walk-in centre. There has also been a high turnover of staff at the surgery with lots of staff leaving at the same time. I was supposed to have had a referral made but I was then told that this hadn't been made. I also had an appointment with the asthma nurse but I felt they were rude to me and then didn't ring me when they said they would. My son also had an appointment for an injection at the practice- he got to the appointment early but was then told that he had been missed out and would have to come back another day, the nurse then left before the surgery was supposed to shut.
Five hundred yards or thereabouts from the pharmacy to the practice. How long does it take from handing a repeat prescription in at the practice to it being delivered to the pharmacy? Answer : usually about five days. Not even remotely acceptable. What is going on at this practice? It used to be excellent, but now it is beyond a joke - someone needs to sort things out.