East Norwich Medical Partnership

Feedback

• Staff friendly and helpful

  4

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 18th October 2022

  I think they have improved most recently, the staff are friendly and helpful. Online booking was only accepted for a while then the surgery opened up again. When I'm in the mind set and have to wait I avoid peak times on the phone. The unmanned desk at the other surgery is strange but all good.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient Thank you for taking time to talk with our colleagues from Healthwatch when they visited the surgery during one of our flu clinics. We have been successful in recruiting new members of the reception team however we still have vacancies which are proving difficult to fill. This has impacted on the service we provide at our Thorpe Surgery as we are not always able to open the reception desk. Clinicians are continuing to see patient at this surgery and patients are requested to use the self-check-in at the entrance. Last year we made significant changes to the telephone system, this enabled the calls to be answered in a timelier way. If your enquiry is not urgent, please ring after 10am or in the afternoon. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• We just want to feel cared for

  1

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 18th October 2022

  I don't rate them. I'd give a rating of -12 if I could. They'll only treat symptoms, they don't look into the cause. I called at 17.10 saying I haven't felt well all afternoon, I couldn't move - they said they were fully booked and to call back the next day. I had to call a paramedic out, which was a waste as the Drs could have helped me when I called. They had a couple of great Drs but they were both locums. You call at 8am, you're number 30 in the queue and when they get to you they're fully booked. All surgeries are struggling but to get a face to face appointment is impossible. I have tried to move surgeries but other ones have said not to move as they are full.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for taking time to talk with our colleagues from Healthwatch. Doctor appointments are released daily at 8am these are booked on a first come basis. The practice does not provide an emergency service we work with an appointment system where patients are booked for a telephone consultation with a doctor, should the clinician feel there is a clinical need for the patient to be seen face to face an appointment will be arranged at the time of the call. The doctors at the practice have been and are continuing to see patients face to face since the beginning of the pandemic. Once all the appointments for the day have been allocated the patient will be guided to other services set up to support general practice such as the 111 service, the Walk in Centre and pharmacies. We do ask patients to ring later in the day for routine appointments and general enquiries. We are sorry to hear of your disappointment with the surgery and that you are considering moving to another practice. We would be sorry to lose you as a patient, however it would be unfair of me if I did not advise you that all practice lists are currently open. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• We're one of the lucky ones

  5

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 18th October 2022

  I think they're fine - no problems. Apart from at Thorpe there is often no reception/Drs but they always fit in here so between the 2 there is no problems. The staff are all good, the facilities are all good, you just have to go with it. I don't think there is anything I would improve, I always get a Dr, you phone up and there can be a wait but I think we're one of the lucky ones

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback given to our colleagues at Healthwatch. Thorpe Health Centre is in operation and manned by our clinical staff but unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful recruiting members of our reception team. Therefore, Thorpe reception remains closed when members of the current reception team are on annual leave/poorly. On arriving at Thorpe for an appointment please ensure you use the check in machine located by the main door. If the check in is not working, please take a seat and the clinician will call for you. May we also remind you to wear a face to mask to help protect the more vulnerable patients. Thank you for your kind words, they will be shared with the practice staff. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Cope well under immense pressure

  4

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 18th October 2022

  They have been very quick and efficient at their flu day. Generally it can be a struggle, you call at 8am for an appointment and sometimes you don't get one. It is like you need advance notice to be unwell. The staff are all good, they cope well under immense pressure. I do have a huge amount of sympathy for them. They need more people across the board, I own a business and I can see that is where the issue is.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for your understanding feedback given to our colleagues at Healthwatch. The doctor telephone appointments are released on a daily basis at 8am. The practice does not provide an emergency service, we will help our patients to the best of our ability but once we have reached safe capacity and all available appointments have been allocated, we then signpost patients to other services such as 111, Walk-In-Centre and Pharmacist. Should the patient enquiry require GP only input, the patient is advised to ring the next day. Again, many thanks for your kind words regarding the practice staff, we are doing the best we can in very difficult times. Staff recruitment is very challenging at the current time. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Staff are excellent

  5

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 18th October 2022

  I have never had a problem at this surgery, the staff are excellent and I have no problems getting an appointment for regular blood tests that I need. I feel very well looked after.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for your lovely words of support for the practice staff and taking time to speak with Healthwatch when they visited to the surgery. I shall share your comments with team. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Never had any problems

  5

  Submitted by Paula Debage Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 18th October 2022

  I find I can always phone and get an appointment. The staff are very good and I have never had any problems with them. I do preferer the Sprowston branch to the Thorpe one. When my husband had covid we sent an email just to let them know to put on his records as he is classed as vulnerable, they got in touch with us, arranged for him to have an oxygen level monitor and gave him antibiotics as they thought he may have a chest infection. They went out of their way to look after him.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Paula, Thank you for your understanding of the constraints the practice is working with and for taking the time to speak with one of the Healthwatch team when they visited the surgery. I am pleased to hear you are happy with the signposting from the reception staff. We do not provide an emergency service but as you have discovered we are able to support patients with a more urgent need as we have limited availability of same day appointments with the on-call doctor. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• I don't have much faith

  3

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 18th October 2022

  The people are ok, no troubles - I do have a concern about one GP, on 2 occasions I feel I was badly diagnosed. I appreciate they are professional but I don't have much faith, I dread the thought of phoning them. The surgery have had a lot of bad publicity recently and I am not sure how they can address that, but then I don't come here much. I didn't and don't want to speak to the Practice Manager as it's not that much, they have enough to deal with.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for making time to talk with our colleagues from Healthwatch. I am sorry to hear of your experiences, I would be more than happy to look into the concerns you have raised. If you would like to contact me on the following email address norwichccg.ENMP.complaints@nhs.net I would be happy to contact you to discuss further. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Difficult to get a blood teat

  2

  Submitted by Collected by a Healthwatch Norfolk member of staff 18th October 2022

  I have an ongoing condition that I have to have regular hospital appointments for. Recently I have had a few blood tests cancelled due to the surgery being short staffed and then struggled to rebook them within the time frame needed by the hospital. The nurses are okay but they seem to have a big turn over of staff, I have not seen the same doctor twice in 10 years. My wife has moved herself and the children to a different surgery due to the frustration of getting appointments.

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for talking with a member of the Healthwatch team when they recently visited the surgery. The practice is not contracted to supply a phlebotomy service and have chosen to do this to help and support our patients. At the end of September and during October we had several members of staff contracting COVID. Unfortunately, this meant appointments had to be re-arranged. Appointments for our nursing team are booked 7-10 days ahead, therefore we are not always in a position to offer an appointment with the Phlebotomist within a certain time frame. When cancelling and re-booking an appointment, the receptionist will advise a patient that the blood form can be collected from the surgery to enable the patient to attend another provider such as the WIC or hospital. There are difficulties with recruitment in all areas of the Health Service, like all businesses staff move on to new roles and retire. We have been successful with recruiting clinical staff we are currently fully staffed. With the reception team we have had difficulties with recruitment and currently have a vacancies for two receptionists. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Poor poor poor service

  1

  Submitted by Leana 17th October 2022

  I do not understand how a medical practice could be so poor. I have been poorly since July and unless you can or are able to wait in a que until mid morning then unfortunately I think you are at risk of death if your registered with this surgery. I can honestly say that in my 39 years on this planet have I ever complained about a GP practice. The dr who called me around 3 weeks ago was the nicest person and so helpful, however the receptionist today has told me she has been told it’s part of a policy not ti share her name!! The worst service I have EVER experienced I have tried ti email on email address provided and thag also doesn’t work. I have no works for this customer service . None There is no option to leave no stars as I would not have left not 1

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Leana, Thank you for speaking with a member of the Healthwatch team when they visited the surgery during one of our flu clinics. Since posting this feedback we have been in communication via the complaints email address and responded with regard to the concerns you have raised. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Compliance Manager

• Very good service

  4

  Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff 17th October 2022

  I have never been to a surgery before in Norwich, this was my first time today for my flu vaccine. I came in for my vaccine and they made me a blood test appointment as I am on medication. Very good service today

• Reply from East Norwich Medical Partnership

  Dear Patient, Thank you for talking with one of colleagues from Healthwatch and thank you for your very positive feedback. Yours sincerely Carol Postle Patient Services Manager