East Norwich Medical Partnership
Including Sprowston Primary Care Centre and Thorpe Health Centre.
Feedback
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They keep to what they say
9th October 2023They are very good, they are efficient and keep to what they say. They take their time and are patient and speak to me face to face which makes a difference - they face me as I have hearing issues. I have been here ten years and it has been really good.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient, Thank you for taking the time to talk with our colleagues from Healthwatch and the kind words regarding the help you have and do receive at the practice. Your sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
Never had a bad experience
9th October 2023I have never had a problem, the staff are fantastic I have never had a bad experience. I arrive, they do what they do - they sort out what I need. Today I was out before I was due in.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient, Thank you for talking with our colleagues from Healthwatch at one of our recent flu clinics. I am so pleased to read you are happy with the service we provide and meet your expectations. Thank you. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
It has got a little better
9th October 2023I don't come here often. During covid it was awful. I don't think it is great. It has got a little better but they are always off sick, you just see that the surgery is closed. Some doctors are very good in Norwich but these are not, but I live here so it is handy. I think they have too many surgeries. It used to be excellent but now it is not. They have been good today at the flu clinic, they are good when they expect you but when you want them they are not.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback to Healthwatch staff whilst attending your flu inoculation appointment. I will try to answer the points you have made above. East Norwich Medical Partnership have two surgeries one based at Thorpe Health Centre and the second at the primary care centre at Aslake Close. Neither surgery has been closed due to illness or COVID. During the pandemic both surgeries remained open, and patients were contacted by telephone. The surgeries had restricted patient access for the safety of the vulnerable patients who were invited to the surgery for a face-to-face appointment due to a clinical need. These patients were screened for COVID by telephone and again when they arrived at the surgery. Because of the restricted surgery access it may have looked as if we were closed but I can assure you that was not the case. The protection of our staff and vulnerable patients was paramount, we issue approx. 3000 prescription per week, if the doctors contracted COVID who would have signed off the prescriptions? As the telephone triage system worked so well during COVID the partners agreed to carry this on most GP appointments are telephone triage in the first instance should a patient need to be seen face to face the clinician will arrange this at the time of the call. We now support and care for more patients each day than we did before COVID. We have had challenges recruiting reception staff fortunately we have recently employed another receptionist. Due to shortages in the reception team, we have had to close on occasion the reception desk at Thorpe Health Centre, this is due to planned and unplanned leave. The clinicians who work out of Thorpe Health Centre do still see their patients; the patients check in at the screen by the main door than take a seat. On the occasions we have no reception cover we do notify our patients via text. I am sorry you are disappointed with the service we offer. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
111 referalls
1st September 2023Having an ill wife, I finally contacted 111 for advice as this is an advertised service. Spoke to someone who was very helpful and who said she would recommend a Doctors appointment and would send an immediate email to our surgery. I phoned 30 minutes later to be told email not received phone back. phoned again 2 hours later, still no email? phoned 111 again who advised that they had no way of knowing in an email had been sent. Phoned surgery 4 hours later, advised still no email. Twice tried to make an appointment 8am 1st September recorded message advised call queue full, phone back later. phoned 10.30, 7th in queue no appointment's available. Told received email on Tuesday. Everything very frustrating! wife still not well.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient, Thank you for highlighting the problems you have experienced with using the 111 service. I am concerned with the points you have raised as the 111 service does have appointments available to them to book directly into the practice appointment system . As you have posted anonymously, I am unable to investigate further. May I ask you to submit more details via the practice complaints email address nwicb.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net I look forward to hearing from you in due course. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
No appointments at 08.00
1st August 2023I have phone to get an appointment at 07.59 surgery closed as expected rang again at 08.00 recorded message states no appointments left , how is this possible, I am unwell and need to see a doctor , I rarely attend the surgery. This is appalling service and not acceptable.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Mrs Tattersall, Thank you for your comments regarding contacting the surgery first thing in the morning. The practice telephone system is computerised and will automatically switch on at 8am when the practice opens. I have traced your call on the computer software, it shows you called the surgery once before 8am and four times shortly after, these four calls were abandoned. The call queue may be full at this time as most patients requiring same day treatment ring at 8am. We do not have a message stating we have no appointments left, the message will inform you the call queue is full and to try again later. The wait in the queue is generally cleared by 8.30am due to additional staff answering the phone first thing in the morning. All calls made to the practice are signposted by our experienced reception team at times you may be asked to attend another service such as pharmacy, the walk-in centre, 111 and the physiotherapist. I shall not go into details of your encounter on that day as this would not be appropriate on a public forum. However, I will add you were supported by one of the GP’s later the same day. When contacting the surgery at 8am for a same day service, I would recommend you stay in the call queue as this will prevent you from being added to the end of the queue after each hang up. If I can be of any further support, please contact me via the practice complaints email address nwicb.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
Awaiting an overdue Prostate Cancer PSA test
31st July 2023Diabolical practice, constantly chasing up test and long overdue minor procedures
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Anonymous, I am sorry to read you are disappointed with the service provided by the practice. As you have posted this comment anonymously, we are unable to contact you to discuss your concerns further. If you would like the practice to look further into your complaint, please contact me via the practice complaints email address nwicb.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net. For full detail of the practice complaints policy please visit our website www.eastnorwichmedicalpartnership.co.uk type complaint into the search box on the home page. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
Thorough and helpful
10th May 2023I attended a health review with Sharleen at the surgery. She was thorough, listened well and took notice of what I said. This gave me confidence in the advice she gave, which has turned out to be very helpful.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient Thank you for taking time to post your experience on the Healthwatch website. It's great to receive positive feedback regarding the staff at the practice, please be assured I have passed your comments onto Sharleen. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
Emergency prescription request
9th May 2023I called as I had completely run out of my medications, and my request for a repeat via the app didn’t work. I only found out the request didn’t work just before a bank holiday weekend, luckily I had a few days to tide me over. I thought the prescription team were available 2-5, unfortunately I called at 4.05 to find out they’re only available 2-4. The person I spoke to was unable to do anything for that day as the doctors were all too busy to send a repeat to the pharmacy. She was dismissive when I voiced my concern regarding withdrawal effects (she’s been told it takes 3 days, so never mind the fact that the medication I am taking is not only notorious for rapid withdrawal symptoms but is also incredibly dangerous to stop suddenly, and there’s the experience of someone who actually takes it.) I was directed to the already overburdened 111 service, whose own line says this service should be used when your doctors surgery is CLOSED not just unhelpful. Thankfully, the 111 service was able to send the request to my nearest pharmacy, within minutes. I get that the NHS is struggling at the moment, but to palm off a patient from one service to another is just passing the problem along, My biggest issue though is a receptionist telling me what MY symptoms and experiences are or should be. It was dismissive, rude, and made me feel like my request was unreasonable. It was an error on my part to not check the prescription request had processed, but I asked for help in an emergency, and was made to feel terrible.
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient I am sorry to read of your experiences with regard to your medications. The turnaround for repeat mediation is two working days, with a bank holiday that would naturally increase. The 111 service is available 24 hours a day to support general practice. General practice is not an emergency service, when capacity has been reached which was probably likely at 4pm in the afternoon patients will be directed to another service. This is within the guidance of the new GP contract; all patients must be offered a help the same day. This could be a self -referral to Slimming World, Physiotherapy, 111 service for general support, Wellbeing Service, Walk In Centre for minor illness, Optician for eye problem, Pharmacy for medication queries/emergency prescriptions. I am sorry to hear of your experience regarding the receptionist, as your post has been made anonymously, I am unable to listen to the telephone conversation. If you would like to contact me via the practice complaints email address nwicb.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net I would be happy to investigate further. Full details of our complaints policy can be found on the practice website. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
Excellent treatment by Dr Bastable
5th March 2023GPs have had a bit of bad press recently. So I thought it only fair to share the very positive experience I have had recently at East Norwich Medical Partnership. I think it is fair to say I am not as easy person, and following on from a recent health scare have become a little neurotic! Dr Bastable was not only kind and patient with me, he also did some extra research into my queries and sent that information on to me. I cannot thank him enough. On the down side he is now stuck with me!
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient, Thank you for your praise for Dr Bastable this has been passed on to him. We really appreciate it when patients take the time to give positive feedback as it really lifts the surgery’s morale. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager -
Good service
31st January 2023I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude at the great service myself and my son received from East Norwich Medical Partnership. My son is 18 but due to his social /General anxiety I am still advocating for him, the practice did not question this, they didn't make me or my son feel less for dealing with things the way we do. We were met with friendliness and compassion from the receptionist and Dr's alike. The service offered was very efficient and professional from start to finish. Many thanks
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Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership
Dear Patient, Thank you for taking the time to place your thanks via this the Healthwatch website. It is so lovely to hear of you and your sons positive experience. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager