Sheringham Medical Practice

Feedback

• Impossible to contact

  1

  Submitted by Anonymous 23rd March 2024

  No Email facility No messaging facility Never answer the phone

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  We welcome patient feedback as a means of helping us improve patient services. We also maintain a policy of continuous improvement which means that our systems are subject to regular reviews to see if we can refine our approach to deliver enhanced patient care. Firstly, I would like to apologies for any inconvenience the situation caused you. Following your feedback we have added our Team email addresses to our new website. Patients also have the option to ask the practice a question via a link on the website, however this functionality is only available during our core hours. If you would like to discuss your concerns further, please contact our Practice Manager by email: sheringham.managers@nhs.net or by phone 01263 820512. If you prefer you can also contact our patient participation group who would be happy to discuss your concerns email sheringhamppg@gmail.com.

• Telephone conversation with a doctor

  1

  Submitted by Anonymous 20th February 2024

  It took me more than a month to calm down and recover from this horrific experience. I have suffered from depression and anxiety all my life due to a lifetime of abuse. A locum doctor was very understanding and keen to help but left before I could see him again. I was apprehensive about talking to the other doctors as I know they have shown very little empathy in the past. I urgently need help for other problems (early signs of skin cancer) but am fortunate enough to have self-funded private health insurance, so I won’t be bothering the practice doctors and I’ll get a fast diagnosis. I have never been rude or lost my temper with anyone. Because of the abuse I treat people the way I want to be treated. My telephone conversation with this doctor was the worst conversation I have ever had. They didn’t listen and interrupted me constantly, knew nothing about my history, wouldn’t answer any of my questions and wasn’t interested in helping me. I felt that their tone was abusive and reminded me of my own abusers. As a result I challenged them instead of just agreeing like I usually do. In hindsight I feel better for finally standing up for myself although I won’t be making a habit of it. This doctor is in my opinion not fit to speak to patients. The population here is mainly elderly and I think it’s very likely that they speak to them in the same condescending way. It’s depressing and worrying that so many doctors don’t understand the importance of people skills and bedside manners nowadays.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  We welcome patient feedback as a means of helping us improve patient services. We also maintain a policy of continuous improvement which means that our systems are subject to regular reviews to see if we can refine our approach to deliver enhanced patient care. To enable the practice to respond to your concerns could you please contact our Practice Manager by email: sheringham.managers@nhs.net or by phone 01263 820512. If you prefer you can also contact our patient participation group who would be happy to discuss your concerns email sheringhamppg@gmail.com.

• Very helpful and supportive management

  5

  Submitted by Linda Schouten 19th February 2024

  I recently had a meeting with the practice manager to discuss a number of minor issues. I was pleasantly surprised with her extremely helpful attitude. She showed a lot of understanding and empathy. She gave up a large part of her day to have a conversation with me and is without a doubt an asset to the practice.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  Thank you for your kind feedback we will share this with the team. Sheringham Medical Practice

• I would prefer more real life interaction

  2

  Submitted by Feedback collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk employee 2nd February 2024

  I don't see how everything can be done over the telephone. I understand that they're busy but I would prefer more real life interaction.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  Thank you for your feedback - I would like to say that I am sorry if you find our system of booking an appointment to be unsatisfactory and if you have experienced inconvenience and frustration as a result of this. The system was introduced with the objective of improving patient access and clinical care by eliminating the traditional "first past the post" approach to booking an appointment. Under the previous system, a patient would have had to wait for anything between two days and four weeks for a routine face to face appointment without any direct contact with a clinician, whereas under this system, clinical contact is usually established the same day or with in 2 weeks. In the majority of instances, actually improved the speed with which clinical consultations occur and, if you phone on one of your preferred GP’s clinical days they have a number of telephone consultations that can be booked on the day. Furthermore, you also have the choice of pre-booking a telephone consultation up to four weeks in advance, subject to availability. Either way, upon speaking with your doctor they will then arrange for you to be seen face to face in a timeframe in accordance with clinical need or help you over the phone if clinically appropriate and safe to do so. We do also offer face to face appointments with our Practice Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Mental Health Practitioners and social prescribers. If you would like to discuss further please contact sheringham.managers@nhs.net

• The Nurse explained how to enter the building

  5

  Submitted by Feedback collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk employee 2nd February 2024

  I had an appointment with the nurse practitioner on a Saturday. When I arrived I didn't know how to gain entrance as I hadn't been told there would be no-one on reception. I couldn't see how to get in so I left. Not long after the nurse telephoned me and I offered to go back but she was very apologetic and told me that she'd had to move on to her next appointment. She explained to me exactly how to gain entrance to the building next time I have a weekend appointment.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry that you were not advised when you booked your appointment that the main doors would be locked and how you would be able to gain access to the practice on a Saturday. Following your feedback we now have signs outside the front door advising patients to go to the fire exit door and ring the bell. We also ask the receptionist to advise the patient when booking the appointment and we send text messages to all patients the day before their appointment. Again we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

• A really good experience with a locum doctor

  5

  Submitted by Feedback collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk employee 2nd February 2024

  I had a really good experience with a locum doctor. I was having a really tough time and the doctor was so professional and understanding. I felt valued which I really needed at the time.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  Thank you for taking the time to feedback your comments. It is lovely to receive positive comments and I will feedback to our team.

• No desire to help whatsoever from reception

  1

  Submitted by Neil Espin 20th October 2023

  Called 19th to book tel appt with dr following his request. No appts available, but would be late pm and I would receive a callback. Of course receptionist couldn’t be bothered. Called back 20th , next available appt November. Said I was promised a callback Reply , don’t know who told you that it doesn’t work that way This is abysmal, some serious training needed in your practice. Diary handling has to be a priority for frontline staff Whilst I don’t mind giving basic information I’m not giving medical details that I feel are personal to non medical people Although they think they are trained to decide what’s important and what isn’t Dreadful

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  We welcome patient feedback as a means of helping us improve patient services. We also maintain a policy of continuous improvement which means that our systems are subject to regular reviews to see if we can refine our approach to deliver enhanced patient care. We are sorry that when you contacted the practice you did not receive the service you were expecting. We will review the concerns that you have raised and share the findings and any learning points with the team at the practice.

• What an abismal website and services

  1

  Submitted by Mark Alexander Pinney 21st August 2023

  I moved from Cromer to Sheringham 12 weeks ago and have been trying to access the online services, filled in all the relevant details, been to the surgery, given my details online and at the surgery but was told today that there is no record of me at all, unbelievable!!

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  I am sorry that you have had difficulties with regards to the online services if you would like to contact me directly I would be happy to help. Pauline Craske Sheringham.managers@nhs.net

• Excellent Service

  5

  Submitted by Catherine Ivory 3rd August 2023

  I was seen as a temporary resident today and after registering with a friend let receptionist, I received excellent care from Dr Ward. I was seen urgently within 20 mins. Dr Ward was very thorough and efficient in assessing treatment risks with my complex medical history and has a lovely, calm, reassuring manner. Thank you very much for your care to a visitor.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  Thank you for taking the time to feedback your comments. It is lovely to receive positive comments and I will feedback to our team.

• Requiring medical advice whilst on holiday

  5

  Submitted by Mrs Lynn Hatley 12th June 2023

  I was staying in Sheringham for a weeks holiday and started to experience the discomfort of a possible UTI. I contacted the practice and was immediately registered as a temporary patient. Within the hour the duty GP telephoned me and arranged for me to collect a course of antibiotics from the local pharmacy. I could not have wished for a better service. Both the GP and the receptionist I spoke to was extremely helpful and very professional.

• Reply from Sheringham Medical Practice

  Thank you for taking the time to post a positive review these are always welcome. I will share with our team at our next practice meeting.