Newton Flotman Surgery

Feedback

• Only five minutes for a blood appointment

  3

  Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  The staff are fantastic but I think it is ridiculous that there is only five minutes for a blood appointment. I work with people with learning difficulties and have been told to book a double appointment- but appointments are already booked in for them, so I can't do that. I also feel sorry for the nurses as they should not be expected to do a job in that amount of time! Overall I would rate the surgery five stars for staff but one star for the system.

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your feedback. If you feel that you or someone you care for needs additional time please advise our reception team when booking. If necessary we are also able to add an alert to a patients record to ensure that ALL staff are aware of any additional patient needs. We would like to advise you that our current booking system came about due to the demand for blood tests, so in collaboration with our Nursing team we decided to limit our routine blood appointments to 5 minutes therefore giving far more patient capacity. However, we offer a variety of blood appointment lengths based on clinical need ranging from the 5 minutes - for a routine blood test to 20 minutes for blood tests and additional monitoring activities such as height, weight and blood pressure. All that we would ask is that you please ensure, when booking a blood test or any other appointment, that you make our reception team fully aware of your requirements. It is very difficult to accommodate a "Can you just" into a 5 or 10 minute appointment.

• Difficult to get an appointment

  3

  Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  My mum came for a blood test and was supposed to fast. I phoned the practice and asked if she could have a coffee before and the nurse told me this was ok. But when I got there today they said she shouldn't of had a coffee (although they were still able to do the blood test and put it down as a non-fasting one). It is also difficult to get an appointment and you have to wait a while to get an appointment. However, Cheryl is lovely, nice and friendly and the staff look after you well.

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your feedback, and we are sorry that you received mixed messages. Fasting blood tests do mean that you don't eat or drink anything except water for 8 to 12 hours before your appointment. We do try and book these fasting appointments as early as we can on a morning so you can then get home for a good breakfast. We know routine appointments are not always easy to book, but we are trying to do our best with what we have available.

• The dispensary is excellent

  5

  Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  The dispensary is excellent, the lady is efficient and approachable. I don't have any improvements to the surgery other than having more doctors. I would also like to mention that the surgery receives bad press, but they don't deserve it. I phoned yesterday and was seen today! More good needs to be said about the surgery.

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your lovely comments which will be fed back to the whole team, we share all of our feedback - positive or negative - as we can all learn from it. Thank you again.

• Terrific

  5

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  Terrific, they didn't keep me waiting and it didn't hurt at all! I usually go to Long Stratton and it is a nice morning for a trip out. Sometimes there is a bit of a wait for appointments but when I do need and get one it is great.

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your feedback

• very friendly staff

  5

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  I had a blood test with Cheryl, she is a very good technician and very nice and it is an easy service. I live in the village some come in and was in for my appointment straight away. And they have very friendly staff as well, everything is great. The only thing I don't think is very good at the moment is they only open three days a week

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your kind words and feedback

• friendly, approachable and caring

  5

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  I know Cheryl here, she is the nurse at Long Stratton too and she is just lovely, she does a great blood test, it doesn't hurt! She is friendly, approachable and caring. She's lovely. Sometimes at appointments (not here!) you are in and out and not even spoken to - it is just not like that here! The only improvement I can think of would be to get an earlier appointment I think

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your kind words and feedback.

• I find them superb

  5

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  Both practices, here and Long Stratton are superb. I never have had any trouble. I hear people complain, but I find them superb. They are just great!

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your kind words

• efficient as always

  5

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  The fact they are doing this is just wonderful when there is so much turmoil in the NHS. The fact they are all here still doing their jobs is impressive. They were efficient as always today, I have no problems. 10/10

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your lovely comment which will be fed back to the whole team.

• pleasant and convenient

  4

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  I think the surgery is pleasant and convenient because I can also get my medicine here. The staff at the pharmacy are pleasant and Nurse Cheryl is lovely and very pleasant too. I can't complain about anyone. The only improvement I can think of is you can't get an appointment quickly, it can be a month or longer for non urgent

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your feedback and we will make sure your kind comments about the staff are passed to them. We do constantly look at our appointment system to make improvements where we can and are trying to offer the best possible service at all times.

• nurse isn't here

  4

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 8th August 2023

  I came in for an appointment today but the nurse is off sick, it is the second time it has happened but can't be helped, just they didn't tell me this time I got a text last time, but they have booked me in now in September

• Reply from Newton Flotman Surgery

  Thank you for your feedback, and we are sorry to hear that you had to attend an appointment without being contacted. As you have already said we cannot help or plan for sickness cover, but as soon as we are aware of a colleague being absent we do try to contact all of our patients who are booked to see them, either by ringing or texting. We hope you have now been seen.