Thorpewood Medical Group

Feedback

• Appointments are hard to get

  3

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  Appointments are hard to get and there is a long wait on the phone. When trying to get an appointment I have been directed to the walk in centre which is hard for me to get to as I do not drive. The staff are friendly and helpful.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for your time in providing us with constructive feedback. It is appreciated. We have experienced additional calls to a very high number during the period of arranging Covid Vaccines. When this reduces and our recent introduction of a new phone system takes hold, the wait on the phone will be less. Being directed to the Walk In Centre is a decision the On Call Duty Doctors makes when all appointments are taken up for the day, but they believe it is important you should be seen that day. All Surgeries use the Walk In Centre as we do. Thank you for your kind words on the team here. My regards. Andy A Cutting - Practice Manager

• It's been hard to speak to someone

  3

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  It's been hard to speak to someone and very hard to get an appointment. I can spend up to an hour on the phone trying to get through. But once I am in it is absolutely fantastic, the staff are friendly and helpful.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for your kind words of support. I apologise relating to the phone queue. During Covid we have received over 30,000 additional calls to what we normally deal with. We still remain busy facilitating our patients for Covid Booster vaccinations. Again, based on good practice in Covid, the initial appointment will in most circumstances be by phone or E Consult email response. The Doctor takes a clinical decision if the patient needs to be seen, rather wants to be seen. The call or E Consult response will inform of a face to face appointment or be resolved on that contact. I hope I have explained the situation. Thank you again. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• Never feel rushed

  5

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  Once you get into see a doctor they are very good, I never feel rushed and I feel listened to. It can be tricky to get in to see a doctor. I get on okay with the online booking system, it is better then trying to phone. All the staff are friendly and helpful.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for your kind words. Such thoughts and positive comments do lift the spirits of everyone in the Surgery. My regards. Andy A Cutting Practice Manager

• Hard to get to see a doctor

  3

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  It is good when you are in but it is hard to see a doctor. I would like to see the same doctor each time. The staff are friendly.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for your supportive feedback. I welcome the comment that you believe our team friendly, it is appreciated. Seeing the same Doctor is difficult and I apologise. Not all Doctors are full time on site, meaning they range from one day a week to four days. Where possible we would try and do this, but it is difficult given the above and then add annual leave. Our E Consult lets you suggest a GP to see, but then it depends what you have said is the problem; as the problem might need to be seen before the chosen Dr is next on duty. Thank you again. Andy A Cutting Practice Manager

• Appalling

  1

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  I have a bad back problem and am in a lot of pain and I had my appointment cancelled 5 times. It has taken a year and a half to get a referral. I find they are rude on the phone. They are good with my children. I waited in all day for a phone call that never happened. Pre Covid it was not too bad.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. I am sorry if the service does meet your expectations. I am limited on what I can respond as I need you details to investigate and identify problems you raise and why this happened. I appreciate your kind words relating to care of your children, thank you. Please make yourself known and I can look into these matters and respond to you. Thanks again. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• Never enough receptionist

  3

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  There is never enough receptionists and it is not very private when discussing health issues. I do get appointments as being a cancer patient going through treatment I am priority at the moment but before this it took me 3 weeks to get an appointment.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for the time in providing feedback. Over the last year there has been a transition of reception staff leaving and new ones starting. We did have a two month spell where we were low, I apologise. The people were on site, but being trained. We are back at full strength. Should you wish to speak in private, please just ask the receptionist. We will facilitate this in a separate room just off reception area. Thank you again. Andy A Cutting Practice Manager

• Very Helpful

  4

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  Being seen by the nursing staff and they are very helpful, nice and conscientious. I have regular weekly appointments.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you very much for your kind thoughts and words. Such positive feedback lifts the spirits of everyone on site. My regards. Andy A Cutting Practice Manager

• Can take ages to see anyone

  4

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  It can take ages to see anyone if it is not urgent. I have had to wait 40 minutes on the phone. The staff are lovely though. They do not offer postnatal checks and I had to fight to get one, postnatal depression could be missed. They are very good at seeing my 2 year old. Dr Nnene goes out of his way to help. Charlotte is really helpful and thorough.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for your positive comments, they are appreciated. We have been able to reduce the waiting time on the phone and currently answer most within 20 minutes. The Covid vaccine programme prompted over 30,000 additional call into the Surgery. I apologise you had such a wait. Thank you again. Andy A Cutting Practice Manager

• Staff very Helpful

  4

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  It's the only surgery I know and I find it good. I haven't had the need to use it much and only just needing to. I find the staff very helpful

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for your positive feedback and kind words. Such supportive words lift the whole moral of everyone working in the Surgery. This is appreciated. My regards. Andy Cutting Practice Manager

• E Consult asks too many questions

  2

  Submitted by Collected at a Healthwatch Norfolk event 10th February 2022

  The staff are lovely and helpful when you can get through. The E consult asks too many irrelevant questions. There is no easy way to make a simple enquiry. I can't get through on the phone. My mum has had a similar experience. I got an email response last week to what started out as an e consult. It didn't answer my question and I had to start the whole process again. I had a phone appointment Monday, I am now here in person on Wednesday which is good.

• Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group

  Thank you for your feedback. The reasoning for the questions on the E Consult is to save the GP time and give your appointment better quality. The system is built by Doctors for Doctors. When you submit the form, when the Doctor receives it, they have your history and information on what is wrong in front of them. By the time contact is made with you, they will have a good idea of what might be going on. This means your 10 min appointment is less about finding out what is wrong with you and more time on finding answers and a resolution. The repeated questions that are not relevant to what you are reporting also helps you and the Surgery. For example, if you smoke. We have to report on this each year to NHS. Your status on this may have changed at any time. I hope I have been of assistance on your comments. I am grateful for the time you have taken in providing your views. My regards Andy Cutting Practice Manager