The Norwich Road Surgery

Dreadful, no care

I'm very technical and capable yet E-consult is a nightmare - keeps telling me to ring 999 or 111 when all I need is a medication review.

Went to pick up my pescripton from the chemist. Had not got what I needed, so called doctors and he doctors changed it from 3 months to 1 month. Went-called to sort out nobody wanted to help. Told me that I could get the first pescripton from the chemist and try some where else. So I do this, and land up find out that the doctors in between me collecting the pescripton from the chemist to try somewhere else, have cancelled the pescripton. Call back and just got told cannot do anything. Knowing that I had no meds for the weekend. Went to Deben road surgery, reception person could not of been more polite and helpful. Dr was still there, did me a hand written pescripton to take to Asda to get my 3 months of tablets. So will be calling to move to here. Have been with Norwich road since I was born. Over 50 yrs. They are really going down hill.

Second time running they have messed up my wife’s prescription
Tried sorting out and receptionist refused to let my wife speak to doctor to sort this out and said that she will have to have what is on there even though it’s been changed without my wife’s consent

It is a shame that many can be so negative about the NHS. The nurse was ever so helpful and understanding. Thank you

This surgery is poor!! You cannot get a routine appointment for weeks and if you need an on the day appointment you can be holding on for 40 minutes or more before you get to speak to an actual person. By the time a receptionist does answer you are really stressed and angry. They seem to take the brunt of a pretty poor service to patients which is not fair on them. This practice should be banned in ALL surgeries everywhere. When you are not well you need to speak to a person not listen to a bloody machine. I feel sure some elderly patients just hang up rather than go through this rigmarole when they may need emergency medical assistance. And I would not be surprised to learn that people actually die because of this unacceptable practice. This surgery is not alone in doing this and it is simply not acceptable. It is like the third world!!

Waiting for answers on the telephone is very bad and quite a long while.

For someone with a mental health condition, I have great anxiety when having to deal with the reception in the morning. Either on the phone, 2 of them are very nasty, stating I can only have an on the day appointment if it is life threatening.,she has also said if I need an on the day urgent appointment I wouldn't be at work, extremely judgemental. I stay because of 3 medical staff who go over and above their role. It's sad as reception is destroying the surgery. They recently had new reception staff who are friendly but you never know when they are there. When you call at 8am you will always get the ones who judge if your issue is urgent enough. They are not trained medically are they? I do hope this feedback is taken seriously but I doubt it. I just want to be treated with respect just as I respect them, I understand they must be busy but to talk at you sternly is not acceptable.

Several occasions I have had to call on behalf of my mother as whenever she calls at 8am, she is told immediately there are no other day appointments. This happened 3 days in a row. Eventually, I called on her behalf and stated that she needed to be seen that day (she had a suspected water infection that needed antibiotics) I was spoken to in a very rude and condescending manner. When I explained that it was urgent, the receptionist (who is known to both myself and my mother) stated that the urgent appointments are only for patients who are suffering from heart attacks or strokes! She then asked me "is your mother having a heart attack or stroke?" to which I replied if that was the case I would be taking her to a&e NOT the doctors surgery! This isn't the first time this known receptionist has asked this question. Eventually, I called in the afternoon and got an appointment. It shouldn't be like that. MANAGEMENT:why are you not listening to your patients feedback? My mother needed antibiotics and we were told it was very serious getting an infection like that at her age. I would hate to think what would happen to people that do not have anyone supporting them. There needs to be clarification on what is "urgent" and to stop making patients feel belittled

Getting a blood test done at the surgery is very difficult, you are just told to go up to the Riverside clinic, where there is limited seating and its very busy.