Thorpewood Medical Group

Feedback

• Local and Easy

  5

  Submitted by Collected by a PPG member 28th February 2022

  This is my local surgery so it is easy to get to. I have not problems with it.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for the time and consideration in providing this feedback. Your positive comments lift the spirits of everyone working here. It is appreciated. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• Helpful receptionist

  5

  Submitted by Anonymous 18th February 2022

  I visited the surgery in a work capacity with the ambulance service, the receptionist I saw was extremely helpful and did everything she could to help our patient

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Dear colleague Your comments and feedback are really appreciated, thank you. Such positive words lift the moral of the whole Surgery. I have shared this everyone on site. Thank you again. In the nicest possible way, I hope we do not see too much of you! Please make yourself known to me on next visit. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• I feel frustrated and ignored

  1

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  I'm really frustrated that I can't just see a doctor face-to-face right away. My husband can't do phone appointments as he can't hear well. He hasn't had a diabetes blood test or check up for over a year now. We wait for a letter or a call to arrange it and it never comes. When is it going to go back to normal? We are starting to live with covid now so when will things change? I feel like the care isn't good or personal anymore. Even the plants in the surgery look sad and neglected.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for your feedback. I apologise you are frustrated with the system of phoning at present. This is based on the Covid pandemic and a step taken to reduce risks of infection. In addition, not every one who wants to see a Doctor, needs to see a Doctor. If you would like to make yourselves known to me by letter or emailing the Surgery - D82048.thorpewood@nhs.net I can look into to the diabetes subject raised and perhaps invite you to the Surgery where I can show you E Consult, which would reduce the need of phone considerably for you. I accept your point on the plants thank you. I am having them tendered to. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• I have so many problems with online system

  2

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  I have so many problems with online system, sometimes it automatically takes me to 111/A&E. I end up having to just call the surgery. I was put in to see the wrong person and that's just a waste of everyone's time. The vaccination services were really great, the staff were all kind and wonderful for that.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for your feedback. I apologise you are encountering problems with the online consult system. I am grateful for your positive comments at the end of your review. The online system was written by Doctors for Doctors at Surgeries across the Country. It is an intelligent system and knows when the Surgery is shut. It also is configured to react to answers you place in the boxes for the first few questions. This means for what you are reporting, for example, the system will know at 8pm on a Friday that a Doctor will not see your form until Monday morning and if the problem needs addressing before then, that is when the 111/A&E will appear on your screen. Another explanation is that your answer means the problem is more acute than a Doctors Appointment. If you make yourself known to me by emailing the Surgery E Mail address - D82048.thorpewood@nhs.net - you are more than welcome to arrange a visit here to see me, where I can show the system in more detail and how to perhaps use it with more knowledge on how it works. I do appreciate your time in leaving this feedback, thank you again. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• Can get an appointment most of the time

  5

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  I can get an appointment most of the time and I am always well treated.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for the time and thought in providing this positive feedback. Such comments lift the spirits of the whole Surgery. Thank you again. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• Can't do the things I need easily

  4

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  I can't do the things I need easily. I'm off work sick and I can't use the online system to request an appointment to get a sick note. So it's taken me a long time to get an appointment which has delayed me getting my benefits. But when I do come in the staff are helpful.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for leaving an encouraging piece of feedback. I apologise if the online system has caused you problems. Please feel free to email the Surgery address and let me have your details. It is D82048.thorpewood@nhs.net You are welcome to come to the Surgery where I would help you with how to complete the online system in order to get an appointment or request a sick note. Thank you again for your time. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• It looks neglected

  3

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  The overall practice could do with a bit more of everything. It looks neglected. The walls in the waiting rooms are dirty. Previously I've been on the phone for 40 minutes waiting to make an appointment. Thankfully the nurse makes my routine blood tests for me while I'm there, so I don't have to wait on the phone. 15 years ago there were a lot more GPs here, but now the practice has a lot more patients and less GPs.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for the time in providing us with feedback. You raise many items which I would really like to address. I have already arranged for the Waiting Rooms to be looked at, they are clean but I take your point thank you. The phones are busy and have been for sometime. We have a new system but the fruits of this will not be experienced until we have completed the Covid Vaccine Programme. Over the past few months we have experienced an additional 29,000 calls to get people all their vaccine jabs. You are more than welcome to come to the Surgery and meet me where I can assist further if you wish. Please let me have your details and refer to this message. Thank you again and my regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• I self treat as I can't get the care I need

  3

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  I find that I can't get past the receptionists. Everything has to be done online and then it's not done right. I need a fit note and the appointment has to be in-person in order for me to be cleared to return to work. I went to the surgery and they just had a letter waiting for me, but that's not what I need. I feel like no one is listening to what it is that I need. The process should be very straight forward! I self treat most of the time as I can't get the care I need here.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for leaving the Surgery a review. I apologise for the problems you have experienced. There appears to be a communication difficulty. The reception team work to a duty doctor and will adhere to instruction. I am happy to show you the online system, just make yourself known to me. Please persist with making contact as this is a safer way, rather than what you are saying. Thank you again. A Cutting Practice Manager

• Hate the online form

  2

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 17th February 2022

  I find it very difficult to get an appointment to see a doctor. I really hate the phone calls system, I just want a face-to-face appointment. You never get a time for the call with the doctor, it's just some loose time frame you have to wait around for. I hate the online form, it's an absolute nightmare. They say someone will contact you within 5-6 days, but that's too long to have to wait. It's really gone downhill. You want to talk to someone and you're just stuck.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for the time in providing us with some feedback. I apologise if the service is not of a standard you would like. Our system does not preclude you from having a face to face appointment with a Doctor. A phone call or E Consult is necessary in order the Doctor can determine if you need to be seen. Further, we remain in pandemic and the system also allows us to reduce Covid risks to other patients and our team on site. I apologise, but you will have a wait on the phone until we have completed the Covid Vaccine Programme. The surgery has experienced an additional 29,000 calls over the past few months in order to arrange for patients to have their vaccine, ranging from the first to the fourth. I am appreciative for your time and information you have provided. Thank you again. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• Took 6 weeks for response to online form

  2

  Submitted by Collected at Healthwatch Norfolk event 14th February 2022

  I can't get through on the phone and find it very hard to get appointments. If I submit a form online it can take weeks to get a response, when it's supposed to happen within two business days. One time it took 6 weeks to get a response to an online form! When I do come in to the surgery everyone is lovely and I have a good experience while I'm there. I do think the place could do with a good clean. There are cobwebs everywhere and stains on the ceiling.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for your feedback. I am sorry if you experienced problems with the response from an online approach to the Surgery. Unfortunately I do not have any details and therefore I am unsure if you used E Consult, Footfall or TPP Online. Please feel free to make contact through the Surgery E Mail address for my attention and let me have your details in order I can investigate this further. If this was E Consult you would have had an immediate response which stated (unless weekend) we would get back to you by 1830 the next day. We do this and your E Consult would have been seen and an emailed message back to you giving a date of appointment. It would not have meant a GP would call you by that time. We have a new phone system but we cannot use it to its best potential yet based on the current Covid Vaccine Programme. We have had 29,000 calls over the past few months, over the usual amount we receive daily, in order to get our patients all their vaccines. I apologise this has caused you to wait. I appreciate your positive comments on the experience when you are here, thank you. I have asked the Cleaning Company to address the items you raise. Thank you again. Andy Cutting Practice Manager