This review is on behalf of a friend without internet access. My friend visited the surgery and upon her return home cried. My friend went to the surgery to pick up a prescription. She approached the desk and said good morning. After 5 minutes the receptionist looked up and said "yes". My friend asked for her prescription and without the receptionist looking in the prescription box she asked my friend when was it ordered. My friend struggled to remember and told the receptionist she was not sure. Again without the receptionist looking in the prescription box she said to my friend "If you have not given 3 days notice it will not be ready". The receptionist turned her head back to the computer screen indicating the conversation was over. My friend left the surgery without her prescription feeling she had done something wrong. She had no medication that weekend. My friend is a polite gentle soul who deserves a little politeness. A smile and courtesy costs nothing - I would ask the receptionists to put theirselves in the patients shoes occasionally. Thank you.
Original Comment Report...

The doctors at this surgery are wonderful. They listen to their patients and make great attempts to deliver good patient care. They follow-up with the patient as to how their treatment is going and endeavour to improve their care for the patient at all times. The only issue I would have with Norfolk Park Medical Centre is the front of house Medical Receptionists who do not seem to hold by the same ethos as the doctors do. Throughout the NHS administrative staff seem to be trying to improve their communication skills with patients and maybe Norfolk Park Medical Centre Receptionists have not caught up with this yet. There are various NHS protocols in place to follow, as well as staff training for Administrative staff available so that Medical Receptionists and Medical Secretaries can look at how they are communicating with patients. The key here is that patient care comes first so if a patient with an illness is met at first point by potentially a rude medical receptionist (this could be because the medical receptionist is feeling "stressed") then that patient care is not being met. The training of Medical Receptionists at Norfolk Park Medical Centre could potentially help them to deal with their own feelings of stress and therefore not project that onto a patient. Moving forward, the NHS I believe is achieving a great deal with training of administrative staff but there are some places, such as Norfolk Park Health Centre Medical Receptionist staff, that would benefit from training and thus creating a welcoming and secure environment for patients - and thus allowing the patient to feel confident to approach the reception desk without any feelings of trepidation.
Original Comment Report...