Receptionist was pleasant and welcoming, very easy check-in despite me struggling with putting a mask on while holding onto a walking stick. I only waited a few minutes to be seen, bloods were taken by Mel, no fuss, no pain, then I was off again. My appointment could not have been any smoother.
Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group
Thank you very much for this positive and supportive feedback.
Your comments have been shared with "Mel" and the Partners. Such a review lifts the spirits of all on site. It will especially lift Mel's morale.
My regards.
Andy
A Cutting
Practice Manager
Diabetes Nurse Check.
5
Submitted by Anonymous12th October 2022
I had a clinic appointment and subsequent telephone follow up with Diabetes Specialist Nurse Callum. Both of these appointments were on time. During the clinic appointment it was obvious he had read my clinical notes beforehand, was aware of my clinical history and had a good knowledge of my various health conditions. He was sensitive to my mobility issues and worked around me instead of expecting me to overextend myself, he also managed to take my blood with no issues which is very unusual. I left the clinic appointment feeling I had been understood and listened to. This nurse instills confidence and obviously has a broad skill set. I am very happy to be under his care.
Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group
Thank you very much for such considered feedback. I will bring this to the notice of Callum and the Partners. Such comments lifts spirits of everyone in the Surgery.
Callum is a recent acquisition for us. We wanted to improve Diabetes Services and planned this specialist addition. I am glad it is having this affect.
Thank you again.
Andy
A Cutting - Practice Manager
Not quite sure what to put as a title
2
Submitted by Anonymous31st August 2022
Well all I can say is this surgery has gone downhill and I don’t think everything can be blamed on Covid. When you call you are left hanging for anything up to an hour - if other surgeries in Norwich have the system to take your number and call you back why does Thorpewood not provide this system - I think it would certainly help alleviate some stress and anxiety caused by waiting and listening to the dreadful music which is played. We, my partner and I, did think about doing a EConsult and wait for a response but the last experience of using this did not fill me with confidence. I’m just bitterly disappointed. Maybe I’m too nostalgic for the times when doctors used to call ‘to check’ or they would ‘pop in’ on their way home. It’s almost as if the vocation of doctoring has disappeared - I think there are doctors who care and other medical professionals working in the gp setting - they do however appear to be few and far between.
Surgeries are busy, everyone knows and appreciates that but I do think respect has to be shown in order to be given. Don’t make us feel as if we are a drain on the system just because we are contacting you. No one goes to the surgery as a day out, they go because they need to be seen or have issues they need help or advice for.
Hopefully things will start to get better. I don’t believe changing practices will help as I think it’s very much the same country wide, or at least it is county wide.
Thank you
Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group
Thank you for the time you have taken to provide the Surgery feedback.
Your views are noted. Should you wish to pursue any of your points in more detail with me, please make contact as I am more than happy to meet and go through the items you have raised.
Thank you again.
Andy
A Cutting
Practice Manager
Some things good, some things not so good
3
Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk 30th August 2022
Some things are good, some things are not so good. I did get misdiagnosed which wasted time. I was not diagnosed properly to begin with. I would like to say that one doctor is really good. They speak to you in layman's terms which is lovely. The doctor is really good at communicating with me.
Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk 30th August 2022
Getting to see a doctor is difficult. I called and I was told a doctor would ring me back. I was not called by a doctor but a nurse called me back and gave me a prescription without seeing me. I don't think a doctor or a nurse should treat you without seeing you. I think they are pushed but there is still room for improvement. Overall they are okay as when you do come to the surgery they sort you out promptly.
Submitted by Feedback collected by Healthwatch Norfolk 30th August 2022
It's terrible. You can't get through and there is no availability when you do get through. Making an appointment would get a minus 1 rating.
The nurses are great and I give them 5 out of 5 but the rest is not so good. Access to a GP is difficult. They should remember who people are, patients are people.
Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group
Thank you for the the time in giving the Surgery feedback.
Please remember we remain in a pandemic and this is the current cause of the situations you have raised. We continue to facilitate Covid Vaccine programmes for patients and currently have the flu jab campaign being booked into. We have changed the messaging on the phone and working hard to improve the wait in the queue for patients. The phone is being answered quicker now. Further, I would say the GP's and staff here are also people and we have Reception staff, Nurses and a Doctor currently absent with Covid. It is also the height of Annual Leave season.
I apologise if you believe the service does not meet your standards.
I am grateful for the positive comments on the Nurse Team. Thank you.
My regards.
Andy
A Cutting
Practice Manager
They near enough saved my life
5
Submitted by Collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff18th August 2022
I think they're brilliant, they near enough saved my life. They look after us so well. I have been here 20+ years and they've always been amazing we just have to all be a bit patient.
Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group
Dear Patient
Thank you for your re-assuring feedback. The positive words and thoughts will lift the whole Surgery.
Thank you again.
My regards.
Andy Cutting
Practice Manager
Lots of steps to be able to see someone
3
Submitted by collected by Healthwatch Norfolk staff18th August 2022
To be fair when you get in to see someone they're good and really lovely. It is the getting in that is the problem, sometimes there are lots of steps to be able to see someone, you call, then email, they text that you'll get a call back, the call back and then possibly an appointment - if you miss the call back that's it. And the wait for results can be a long time, I feel sorry for the older generation.
Thankfully to date i've rarely had a need to see a doctor at Thorpewood but i'm one of the many people locally that are put off getting seen for conditions as the surgery is extremely difficult (at best) to contact. I probably try to get an appointment 1-3 times per year but am put off by the 40min-60min waits that have to be endured on the telephone and this was the case before Covid and since (today its been 53 mins!). I fully appreciate that times are tough but surely having to call and wait for nearly an hour on the phone to make an appointment just isn't reasonable - particularly for people that are trying to quietly and quickly call from their place of work in a break.. To compound this when i have got through i've been asked to initially have a telephone consultation with a doctor who will call me on a specific date but i have no way of knowing when they will call that day - again how does this work for people that are in work and unable to drop everything for an incoming call.. and based on previous experience the telephone consultation will result in a need to see a doctor face to face anyway which will involve further delays and appointment setting. To compound the situation the surgery never seems to have the same doctors on duty (not sure if this is a GP recruitment issue).. I'm sorry to say it but the service is poor at Thorpewood and i'm not surprised to see in the surgery's latest report that registered patient numbers have dropped - i'm just surprised that the surgery management have documented that they're not sure why this would be the case..
Reply from Thorpewood Medical Group
Thank you for your feedback. I do apologise if the standard of service does not meet your expectations.
I commenced at the Surgery part way through Covid and the reason for the wait in the queue on the phone is connected to facilitating patients for their vaccination for Covid. This has prompted over 30,000 additional calls to the Surgery.
I have recently changed the system where people have to wait all day for a call back. This has been narrowed to morning and then afternoon.
The pandemic has not left us yet, hence a Doctor will call and determine if you need to be seen; then you will be seen. We are currently planning to increase our Face to Face appointments.
Thank you again.
Andy Cutting
Practice Manager
Call This Healthcare? you're having a larf...
1
Submitted by Anonymous14th August 2022
I went online to contact the practice.....Again I received messages that the practice was closed.....and therefore could not proceed further......
I remember about 60 odd years ago being taken by my dear old Dad, about 3 miles on his bicycle, at about teatime to see our GP....
I had horrible earache....the doctor was there for me......
what the hell has become of the GP services? I would suggest that GP's should be paid on a daily rate (as I was serving in the Armed Forces)...
Health happens 24/7 as does Defence of The Realm......