East Norwich Medical Partnership

Feedback

• One of the doctors seems to like older people

  3

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 12th October 2023

  One of the doctors is very rude, and I had to complain, I asked for an x-ray and was told I couldn't have one. I was just given exercises over the phone, a physio had said I shouldn't exercise as it was bone on bone, no one had even seen my knee before knee surgery. I ended up having to go private. I don't come to the doctors unless it's really necessary. Today at the flu clinic was fine as always. One of the doctors here seems to like older people, think it's because we don't come in with our phones with our own diagnoses.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient Thank you for your comments which was shared with members of the Healthwatch team when attending for your flu vaccination. I am sorry to read of your experiences, I am unable to comment on individual circumstances in a public forum. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Can speak to people on the phone

  4

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 12th October 2023

  I have never had a problem speaking to anyone on the phone and always get through and get called back, but it is difficult to get an appointment. I wish the Thorpe branch was more accessible, I keep getting text messages to say it's closed. I was misdiagnosed with conjunctivitis over the phone in 2020 but it was an eye infection and it has affected my sight. Appointments need to be in person not over the phone.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient Thank you for taking time to speak with our colleagues from Healthwatch when you attended our Sprowston Surgery for your flu inoculation. I am sorry to read of the problems you have experienced with your eyes, if you wish for me to investigate further, please contact me via the practice complaints email address nwicb.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• GP phones back

  4

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  Mostly if you phone in the morning you get to speak to a GP later that day between 2-6pm The doctors diagnose well. I prefer the Thorpe branch as it is closer but today's flu appointment at Sprowston was very good. It was nice to come here.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you, the response you gave to our colleagues, from Healthwatch when you attended for your recent flu vaccination. We hold most of our flu clinics at our Sprowston Surgery as we have a larger car park, parking at Thorpe Health Centre is limited as the car park is shared with the community staff. We are pleased you are happy with the telephone triage appointments and availability. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• It's been okay

  3

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  It's been okay, I have mostly been able to get an appointment. I had a rude doctor at the start a I made a complaint which was addressed and I got an apology. The receptionist are helpful and Dr Walker is lovely. Today's flu clinic was brilliant, the nurse was lovely.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient Thank you for taking your time to speak with a member of the Healthwatch team when attending the flu clinic. I would like to say thank you for your positive comments about all aspects of the service we provide. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Good when I come

  4

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  I don't come very often but when I do it's very good. I tend to just come for diabetes check and my jabs. Today's flu clinic was quick easy and very good. Getting through on the phone in the morning is difficult.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for your positive response given to the Healthwatch team when visiting the Sprowston Surgery for your flu vaccination. The phone lines are always very busy first thing in the morning for those patients requiring a same day appointment. Please do hold if this is why you are ringing as we do have additional members of staff, taking calls to enable the queue to reduce more quickly. If you are ringing for a routine appointment with either the doctor or nurse, may we suggest you call after 9.30am or in the afternoon. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Can't get to see a doctor

  2

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  Can't get to see a doctor, I call and they say they will get a doctor to call back, but it's not good enough, sometimes due to accents it's hard to hear on the phone. It's not like it used to be, Covid changed a lot of things. I collapsed in my bedroom, when I phoned the next day was told to go to the walk in centre. I needed to talk to someone. I think face to face appointments every time will take less time then to phone, like it used to be. Today was great at the flu clinic. Brilliant, quick good service today

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for your recent feedback to Healthwatch when attending for your flu appointment at our Sprowston Surgery. I am sorry you have found it difficult to understand a doctor at times, I’m sure they would not be offended if you requested, they speak slower and louder. We do have a face-to-face appointment, but the majority of appointments are via the telephone this has enabled the practice to look after more patients as we are not losing appointments due to patients not turning up for their pre-booked appointment. The clinician will allocate face to face appointments due to clinical need. Once all same day appointments have been allocated patient will be asked to contact another service such as 111 for advice, to attend the Walk In Centre. I am pleased to read you were very happy with the flu clinic organisation. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Been using them 60 years

  5

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  I have been with the surgery 60 odd years and the only complaint I have is sometimes it's hard to get in and see anyone. Lucky I don't have to come very often. They could do with having more doctors on duty. I think the staff are alright. I don't think they could do much better under the circumstances.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for taking the time to speak with our colleagues from Healthwatch when attending for your recent flu appointment. When a patient requests a doctor’s appointment in the first instance these are booked at a telephone consultation. This enables the doctor to triage the telephone call and arrange a face-to-face appointment with the patient based on clinical need. Since moving to this system, we have been able to look after more patients as we no longer have patients not attending for their pre-booked appointments. For same day care we have two on-call GP’s and two Nurse Practitioners, once the surgery has reached capacity, we do advise patients to call 111 or visit the Walk In Centre. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Can't get to see anyone

  1

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  I had an phone appointment on the Monday and was told if not better to phone in a couple of days to make an appointment, on Wednesday when I phoned they told me they no longer do face to face appointments, the receptionist then phoned me back on the Friday, she had spoken to the doctor and got an appointment for the next Tuesday. My husband has a long term condition and they are a lot better for him, he has had a much better experience. It seems like you have to be in the system to be taken seriously. Today at the flu clinic was good, I am in and out before I was due, the nurse was friendly and helpful.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient Thank you for your feedback after your recent flu clinic appointment. I am sorry to read that you were informed we no longer have face to face appointments. Many appointments are telephone triaged by either a GP or Nurse Practitioner at the practice. After assessing the patient, a face-to-face appointment may be offered either the same day or a day to suit you. These appointments are based on clinical need The nursing team appointments can be pre-booked in the usual way. For routine help and support it is best to ring after 9.30am. I unable to comment on either yours or your husbands’ individual experiences as this response was placed anonymously. Thank you for your kind words regarding the flu clinic. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Lovely people but not always there.

  3

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  I normally use the Thorpe branch, they are lovely people but they are not always there, often getting a text to say they are closed, but I really can not knock the people or the doctor and I can't thank the doctor enough. If it was fully open it would be excellent. I phone at 8 and am 28th in the queue and then they have no appointments. Today at the flu clinic was good, the nurse was nice.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient Thank you for your response to the Healthwatch team regarding the service you have experienced at Thorpe Health centre. At times we have had to close the reception desk due to staff shortages however the clinicians do continue to hold their clinics. Patients are asked to check in via the self-check in at the entrance door. Please be assured that the clinicians will always check for a patient if they have not registered electronically. It is difficult to respond to your phoning at 8am comment as there are so many factors which could affect the appointment system. In general, it best to ring at 8am for a same day appointment and remain in the queue, we do have other members of the practice who answer the phones at this time to enable the queue to be managed in a timelier way. For routine appointments and general enquiries later in the day would ease the frustration of the queuing system. Thank you for your lovely comments regarding the clinical staff at the practice. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Does what I need

  4

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 11th October 2023

  It just does what I need. I don't need it often but when I do it's fine. My regular medication is all sorted out. It can be a long wait on the phone, you sometimes get to number 1 and nothing happens and I am not sure why. The flu clinic is fine I was in and out quickly. The staff are nice, helpful and polite.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for taking time to speak with our colleagues from the Healthwatch team when visiting the surgery for your flu vaccination. We are pleased to read of your positive response in relation to your day-to-day treatment, thank you. The telephone system is currently under review with a planned move to a cloud-based system. This is under the control of the ICB and we are currently awaiting a time frame. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager