East Norwich Medical Partnership

Feedback

• 2nd Covid jab

  1

  Submitted by Judith Fynn 16th April 2021

  I have previously had problems with trying to make appointments, long phone queues and with reception staff being unhelpful. It was almost 11 weeks since my fist Covid vaccination, which was notified by text then booked by telephone, but I waited as required. On 6 April I received a text purporting to be from the surgery but I was uneasy about it because it did not come from the same source as previous texts from the surgery. Also NHS had previously said that they would never ask me to click on a link and the link itself looked alien. On 7 April I got a reminder text and called the surgery to discuss my concerns and try to book as before. The receptionist I spoke to did not say anything to allay my concerns but said that a member of staff was ringing round those due for 2nd jabs and she would make sure that I was on her list. I then awaited a call. I got a second and last reminder on 8 April. I waited as requested by the receptionist. On the 13 April I sent a message to the surgery detailing the above, I received an acknowledgement around midday with a promise of contact within 2 days. It is now 16 April and no contact has been made' I just decided that I would just have to chance following the link. This proved OK except that 3 of the 4 sites had no bookings available. I had little option but to book with an inconvenient site for 6 days after the 12 week deadline. I am 76 which is the group currently getting 2nd jabs. The assumption that having a mobile phone makes me willing and able to use it for online booking seems unwarranted. There has been no opportunity for personal contact and no follow up to ensure that I was able to manage. At no time have I been reassured about what the booking process is and the validity of the original text contact.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Mrs Fynn, Thank you for sharing your experience of the booking system for COVID-19 vaccinations. The guidelines from the Government were followed by the practice correctly. The text messages and letters were sent to all eligible patients enabling self-booking of the vaccination which many of our 16,000 patients appreciated. Patients were asked by the Government not to contact the surgery directly, as this was and still is causing huge delays on the practice telephone system. Enquiries regarding the COVID vaccination are being dealt with by a specialist helpline 119 which has been widely advertised. If a patient has not booked an appointment the practice will then attempt to contact the patient to arrange this, however this may take the patient out of the 12-week period between vaccinations. The practice is sorry to hear how disappointed you are with the COVID vaccination service unfortunately this is out of our hands. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Accessibility feels impossible.

  3

  Submitted by Anonymous 15th April 2021

  Requested a call from the doctor. You will receive a call from the doctor between 9 and 12, doctor calls at 8.55 whilst in the bathroom, he leaves a message to make another appointment. On the phone again, 14th in the q, get down to zero and then go on hold for 35 minutes in a loop, decided to hang up as I wasn't in a queue. Hang up and try again, 19 in the q this time, to be told there is no guarantee to get a call back. 90 minutes to get through to speak to someone is madness. The whole idea of today's appointment is to work with a day off as I am unable to answer a doctors call whilst at work. I appreciate we are in Covid times but trying to sort an appointment/call is so frustrating. The point being if I was told the call would of been between 8.45 and 12 I would of been ready.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Thank you for your feedback, we apologise for the frustration you have experienced with the appointment system. The practice will continue to use the total triage system as advised by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. As we do not have your name we are unable to look into the situation in greater detail. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Making an appointment

  1

  Submitted by Anonymous 13th April 2021

  Telephoned for an appointment at 08.00, 29th in the queue, 55 minutes later first in queue, call then changed to ring tone, then waited another 20 minutes for an answer. Have tried the email system before but takes 4-5 days to get an answer so that’s rubbish too. It should not be so difficult to get an appointment whether we have a pandemic or not!

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Thank you for your feedback, we apologise for the frustration you have experienced with the appointment system. The practice will continue to use the total triage system as advised by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. As we do not have your name we are unable to look into the situation in greater detail. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• No COVID lists for Key Workers

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  Submitted by Anonymous 26th March 2021

  Unfortunately there are surplus jabs daily and you can register for a surplus jab as an emergency worker when one is available - this is happening across Norfolk but this surgery has not heard of it. If it was for shutting people out they would get 5/5. I’ve called another surgery who I’m not even registered with and they have been extremely helpful - hence the review - my surgery should be helping me but another surgery is helping me more

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Thank you for raising your concerns, as this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Disappointing

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  Submitted by Anonymous 17th March 2021

  I try to call before work to respond to a message left by a doctor for me to make an appointment but am anywhere between 10-20 in the queue, I’m unable to wait as I must get get to work. I try calling in my lunch break but the surgery is closed. I’m not sure in this day and age why the surgery doesn’t stagger break times like everyone else!. I then sent an email message through the website stating that the doctor called me to arrange some antibiotic cream but I’m unable to get through.... and nothing..... Thank heavens my problem is hopefully not serious! Our healthcare service certainly leaves a lot to be desired!!! To add a positive onto the negatives I have never found the receptionists rude only pleasant.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Please accept my apologies for not responding earlier you your comment. Thank you for raising your concerns, as this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Since placing your comment, we have made significant changes to the phone system. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Complete incompetence

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  Submitted by Anonymous 22nd February 2021

  Only put one star because you cannot put none! Complete incompetence from all concerned. Ring for appointment and get told to go online, go online and get told to ring. When asking for appointment online, there is no response for at least a week, only to get a reply after they are prompted by another authority. To have a blood test, ask reception and get told up to six weeks or go to walk in centre. Decide to go to walk in centre, but reception didn’t give me necessary form which was waiting for me on their desk. Passed from pillar to post every time I try to get help. Also was promised a home visit which didn’t materialise after waiting all day. Ring to ask what is happening and told it wasn’t sent by GP or was not picked up; consequently not booked in. I know there is a lot of pressure with COVID, but we are told go to GP if needed. This kind of experience is far from satisfactory and someone needs to take their system by the scruff of the neck and sort it out. This has happened at least 4 times in my experience and I have lost faith in them all together. No wonder A&E is snowed under most of the time, it’s because GPs are not treating things before they become serious, or everyone is fed up trying to get an appointment to see a GP. The CQC rating is a farce and is outdated. The other feedback here only proves the point.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Thank you for raising your concerns, we are unable to look into the points you raise as your comments have been placed anonymously As this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Please accept our apologies for the delay in the response, this is due to only just gaining access to the response mechanism and I am new to the practice. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• My dad not getting the care he deserve

  2

  Submitted by Anonymous 8th February 2021

  My dad didn’t have the capacity to speak to a dr so I called on his behalf which had done many times before but was told I couldn’t have a dr call me I stressed my dad is very breathless and hallucinating they didnt want to know then me and my dad emailed them for a dr to call a couple of days later still nothing back In the end my dad was struggling to breath it was frightening to see so I called a ambulance he now is in Coronary care unit with build up of fluid in his lungs as he has heart failure which the drs knew and not enough oxygen going round his body my dad struggled for a week I needed some advice what to do a simple phone call as Im disgusted I could not speak to a dr on his behalf when I have been for the last 8 weeks

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Thank you for raising your concerns, we are unable to look into the points you raise as your comments have been placed anonymously As this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Please accept our apologies for the delay in the response, this is due to only just gaining access to the response mechanism and I am new to the practice. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Disgusted

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  Submitted by Liam 5th February 2021

  I would not even bother emailing in to request an appointment, always call, and wait in the que! I emailed them on Monday and have been waiting for 5 days for a response. I called the surgery today just to get an update only to be informed that the earliest that I can speak to someone is next Thursday.... Absolute joke, its pointless even having the email facility if you have to chase them and for them not to respond to you. Towards the end of last year my mums stomach started to swell up like a balloon, incredible painful and she was constantly feeling sick and couldn't sleep. She tried multiple times speaking to a GP (who refused to see her in person!) and also went to the walk in centre. Every time they said that she has trapped wind, her IBS is playing up and indigestion. After constant attempts a lovely doctor finally referred her through to have a scan at the hospital, Low and behold she got diagnosed with STAGE 4 TERMINAL CANCER and she had a TUMOUR on her pancreas. Thank god she managed to speak to a good doctor that day. "Trapped wind"- What a joke! This surgery needs to sort itself out. If you know you have something wrong with you and you are sure of that, you must push them and get further diagnosis.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Liam, Thank you for raising your concerns, please accept my apologies on behalf of the practice for any distress the practice may have caused you. As this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Please accept our apologies for the delay in the response, this is due to only just gaining access to the response mechanism as I am new to the practice. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Absolutely shocking.

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  Submitted by Shaun Cameron 1st February 2021

  I have called every day for a week. Only one day have I been able to get through to speak to somebody. I emailed twice and was responded too told a I would be called with 48hrs. Never happens. Eventually had a phone appointment booked between 9-12. No call. I called the surgery again at 4pm to be told I was called at 1pm. Absolute lie. Disgusting service.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Mr Cameron, Thank you for your feedback, we apologise for the frustration you have experienced with the appointment system. The practice will continue to use the total triage system as advised by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. As this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Please accept our apologies for the delay in the response, this is due to only just gaining access to the response mechanism as I am new to the practice Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Appalling level of service.

  1

  Submitted by Anonymous 23rd January 2021

  Whilst I know and appreciate that the NHS is under a great deal of pressure I have been a patient of these practices for over 30 years and have noticed a steady decline in communication from them over that time. I would like to say also that the problem with getting an appointment have been getting steadily worse over that period. Getting through on the phone now is near impossible and even discouraged by reception staff. I thought I would try and use of this app in early December. I did manage to get a telephone appointment about 2 weeks after my enquiry. The doctor asked a few questions and ask me to call the surgery the next day to arrange a blood test and he would call me back once he had the results. Getting the test done was also a joke as there receptionist said she could offer me an appointment about 4 weeks off or I could collect a form and go to the walk in centre. After making 2 trips to the surgery to pick up the form as it was not ready. I went to the walk in centre were I was seen within 20mins with no appointment. As yet I have still not had a call. 3 weeks ago a messaged the surgery to ask for the results. They messaged me back about 2 weeks later to say they didn't have them. I responded on Monday of this week asking them if they would like me to go have another test. As yet I have not had a response. I don't use the doctors very often but we I do I frankly expect a better service than we are getting at the moment. Please not it is not the doctors or nurses I believe is the problem it is the management of the practice and administration team that cause the problem. Please sort it out someone.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Anonymous, Thank you for raising your concerns, we are unable to look into the points you raise as your comments have been placed anonymously As this happened at the beginning of the year it would not be appropriate for the practice to respond at this late stage. Please accept our apologies for the delay in the response, this is due to only just gaining access to the response mechanism as I am new to the practice. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager