The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) carries out outpatient appointments, day procedures and inpatient admissions. Patients are predominantly from Norfolk and north Suffolk, although some patients are referred from further afield especially to access specialist services.
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2004 responses from the local community
service is great, waiting is not
4
Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff28th February 2023
I think the service you get here is great, I come once every 2 months. The waiting is not as good - other than that you cannot fault it. Car parking is not as good. I can't walk from the big new car park it is too far for me. The nurses need free parking here as well.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff27th February 2023
I was quickly referred by my GP and got an appointment within two weeks, which I'm really happy with as I expected to wait a few months. We drove here and used the multi-storey carpark and had no issues with that. We did find it hard to get to the right department. The signs are confusing and we basically made it to the right place by chance! I think all the staff are doing a good job. We can't fault the NHS.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff27th February 2023
My experience has been OK. I do think I've done too much waiting around. Sometimes I've waited about 45 minutes to an hour and they don't always tell you it'll be that long. The care I've had has been fine. I have seen lots and lots of different doctors, there's no continuity of care. I've been told different things by multiple doctors. One doctor said 'you can't go home, we're waiting to get you a scan,' and then another came in and told me to go home. I'm never really sure what's going on.
Yesterday I came for an appointment in a different department. While I was here yesterday they weighed me. Today I am in a different department and they've weighed me again. This seems like a waste of resources and staff time. Surely their system should show them I've already been weighed once this week?
I drive here and I find the car park to be a bit of a nightmare. I usually get here much earlier than I need to just to make sure I can get a space.
A few weeks ago I had to be admitted and stayed on a ward for a few days. There were men on my ward who should not have been there. There was constant swearing and violence towards the staff. Security were called in up to twelve times a day. My wife came to visit me and saw there was some dried blood on my sheets, so she stripped the bed and changed the sheets as no one else was going to do it. It just seems like there's a lack of resources.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff27th February 2023
The care I get here is very good. I've been coming here three times a year for the past 20 years. I am very happy with the care I receive.
The parking situation is very frustrating. The new multi-storey car park is great, but only if you are able to easily access it. I often have to bring my wheelchair-bound mother here and there's no clear path from the multi-storey to the hospital. It would be useable is there was a direct zebra crossing from the staff car park through to the main hospital.
On the way out after my previous visits I stopped at the reception desk and made my follow-up appointment. Recently I've been told that they are no longer doing that and now I have to wait for a letter in the post with my next appointment time and date. This is inconvenient and last time I never received a letter so I had to call and find out when they were going to schedule my next appointment for. This is a small change that would greatly improve my experience.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff27th February 2023
I've found it a bit torturous to try and get an appointment. I am going through testing to see if I have a genetic condition. I've had to go private for the tests as it was taking too long on the NHS. I was seen at a specialist clinic in London. When I went to the GP about it he was unaware of the condition, so it's taken a long time to get care. The GP needed to send a referral, but didn't. I had to chase it up. Eventually the GP put me on statins, but I had a reaction to them and was told to stop taking them. This was a few months ago and I haven't been contacted since, so I am not on any medication. I'm hoping to get more answers today.
I understand the pressure the staff are under and I do feel for them. As a patient, it feels like communication is not always truthful. If they've made mistakes and errors they should admit that to the patient, rather than invent excuses. The way the staff are overstretched really scares me.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff21st February 2023
I'm up here a lot for the pacemaker clinic and I never have any problems with it. It's usually really quick and I am often in and out within 15 minutes. Parking usually takes longer than the appointment! I have a disabled badge and a disabled child, so I always look for a disabled space or a parent and child one. It's usually a nightmare and there are never any of those spaces available. I wish they had more disabled parking spaces. Overall I think the hospital is great and I am very pleased.
Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff21st February 2023
I came in to get a pacemaker fitted and spent one night here after I had the procedure and then went home. The ward nurses were very abrupt, they just are not as caring as they used to be. The toilets were a disgrace. I was taken in by ambulance and then taken to ward so I do not know what ward it was.
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk Staff21st February 2023
I recently moved to the area and today was my first time visiting the hospital for an appointment. It was easy to find and my partner dropped me off with no issues. My GP put in a referral for me three weeks ago and I am already attending my appointment. Didn't have to wait too long at all. However, I am still waiting for an appointment for the ENT department. My doctor sent in that referral at the same time as the Gastro one, but I haven't heard anything yet. Apart from that, everything has been good for me so far.
Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff21st February 2023
I was here visiting for my pacemaker today, I have had no issues. It was quick and informative, the nurse who dealt with us was efficient and told me everything I wanted to know. The communications have been good