Staff from reception I have contacted today was rather brusque. I have not been to see my GP to visit for many years. Most staff/ all GP's are all new in our surgery & doesn't have any accommodating gesture over the phone. The old GP's & staff that I know then where absolutely helpful and approachable. Such a shame they are now gone. To the new GP Practice staff: Please be polite when talking to patients.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Dear Patient
Thank you for your feedback and I apolgise if you feel the service provided by our Reception team did not meet your expectations.
I would appreciate personalised feedback by either writing to me or by telephone call so I could address any matters of concern.
Kind regards
Great practice
5
Submitted by Mat Phillips19th January 2021
The practice staff are always willing to support, engage and advise to promote the safety of their patients.
I also work in primary care, albeit elsewhere and I would certainly recommend my friends and family to Old Mill and Millgates.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Dear Mr Phillips
Your comments are most welcome and it is rewarding that someone who has Primary Care experience acknowledges the services we provide.
Thank You
Very good except getting through on phone
4
Submitted by Anonymous26th September 2019
I've only used them once and they were very good!
From what I hear from others in the family. Getting an appointment is difficult - whether that's on the phone or visiting the practice. You sometimes just can't get through on the phone. Appointments can be so far ahead, that they won't go and I have to nag them. They also don't like having to use the triage system that makes them describe their symptoms to the receptionist - it's not very private.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Thank you for your detailed comments and I hope you do not mind but I will address yours concerns individually:
Getting an Appointment - We have in recent times developed an integrated care model which includes Doctors, Nurses, Healthcare Assistants and Paramedics. If there is an urgent need for an appointment then patients will be seen same day. The reason the receptionists ask patients for their symptoms is so they can place the patient with the correct member of our clinical team.
Receptionists are bound by the same confidentiality rules as any other member of the team. We have discussed this with our PPG and they are in agreement that this is a satisfactory way of getting the patient to the right member of our clinical team.
The telephone system has been changed and we now operate a cloud based model. It will inform those who are ringing where they are in the queue. There are peak periods and a timely response is not always achievable. We do not have the resources to man the lines with the additional staff but do monitor demand to see if we can improve.
I hope this response helps and we are more than happy to reflect on any suggestions.
Thank you
Too many people, not enough doctors
4
Submitted by Anonymous26th September 2019
There's just too many people and not enough doctors. It can take 2/3 week to get an appointment or a blood test. There's so many new houses being built and no increase in doctors. By the time you manage to see the doctor, you're starting to feel a bit better.
The new manager has taken away the water cooler they used to have which means if someone is feeling unwell and needs water the receptionist has to go upstairs and bring down a glass of water for them. We've mentioned it before and the receptionist has told us to send in a letter so the manager knows patients concerns.
I had a heart attack and they don't seem to want to do regular check-ups on things that can prevent future issues. I understand they're short on staff. But I'm worried that something might just go wrong if they're not monitoring it closely and then I'd have to start the process again from the start. Can't afford to do things before they happen but have to wait for it to happen. Everyone worries about their health and if you've had something like a heart attack, it would just be reassuring to have them monitor your concerns more closely.
You get amazing care from the doctors though - I have no complaints about that.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Dear Author
The Practice has 7 GP\'s who provide 36 sessions of appointments per week except when holiday or ill. These are augmented by a Nurse Practitioner, Practice Nurses, Healthcare Assistants and Paramedics.
In relation to many local Practices our clinical provision per 1,000 patients is much more than most. We manage chronic disease effectively with proactive recall although the current Pandemic has had an impact on this.
Our provision of tests for laboratory - which includes blood and urine testing is the highest in South Norfolk.
If you have concerns about your personal care provision I would be more than happy to discuss to determine what the issues are.
Th e water cooler was withdrawn on the grounds of Health & Safety. Our floors in the reception area become extremely dangerous when water is left on them. We had incidents where there were significant slip hazards which we had to mitigate. Furthermore some of our patients did not dispose of used cups and left them on the window ledges or reception often with water left in. As you have correctly stated we will should a patient need water provide it.
I hope this answers some of your concerns but would be more than content to discuss with you further.
Kind regards
Don't go often but they've been fine
4
Submitted by Anonymous27th August 2019
I don't go often but they've been fine. The staff are usually helpful and informative. You can phone at 8am and get a slot that day. Otherwise it can take a month or so to get a regular appointment.
Reception desk too high so no good. Eye contact would be welcome. Ceiling too high. Just not a nice space. My husband always waits at least half an hour longer than appointment time.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Dear Author
I am sorry you do not like the ergonomics of our surgery. As you are probably aware it was only built just over 5 years ago - It is a modern purpose built surgery that most of our patients feel is a fantastic facility.
Kind regards
Always try their best to help
5
Submitted by Anonymous22nd August 2018
I use the dispensary here at the surgery. It's supposed to be 48 hours for a prescription but if you're desperate they will get you it there and then. They always try their best to help you out.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Thank you for your positive feedback our Dispensary team will appreciate it.
Kind regards
Very good proactive surgery
5
Submitted by Anonymous22nd August 2018
They look after me very well. They are very, very good. They keep an eye on my blood pressure and give me regular medication reviews to make sure everything is up to date. When I went on holiday they made sure I had enough medication to cover while I was away, proactive.
Very good surgery. They are able to refer me to other services quickly. They referred me to weight watchers for free which has been brilliant. They can also refer me to a gym if I want, to help get healthy. It's a brilliant surgery and the doctors are amazing. Can't praise them enough.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Dear Author
These kind words are really appreciated and we would like to offer our sincere thanks for taking the time to write them.
I would like to apologise for the late response but we were unaware of this forum
Fantastic
5
Submitted by Anonymous15th November 2016
I can always get an appointment if I call up at 8. My GP called me up 2 weeks after my appointment to see how I was. Great level of care and the reception staff are friendly.
Reply from Old Mill Surgery
Dear Author
These kind words are really appreciated and we would like to offer our sincere thanks for taking the time to write them.
Our apologies for not responding at the time but we were unaware of this forum.