Hethersett Surgery Feedback

Healthwatch Norfolk visited Hethersett Surgery in July 2026 and gathered feedback from 15 patients, resulting in an average rating of 3.7 out of 5. Overall, patients were positive about the attitude and professionalism of staff, particularly nurses, receptionists and some GPs. Many described staff as kind, compassionate and helpful, and several reported positive experiences of getting urgent appointments and receiving prompt investigations or referrals. 

The strongest positive theme was the quality of interactions with staff. Patients frequently praised reception teams, nurses and clinicians for being approachable, supportive and respectful. Some highlighted examples of same-day appointments, effective diabetes care, easy registration processes and inclusive support from staff. Several respondents described the surgery as welcoming and said they felt confident using the service. 

The main concerns related to access and capacity. Many patients felt the surgery was struggling to keep pace with local population growth, reporting long waits for routine appointments, lengthy telephone queues and pressure on staff. Several respondents described waiting three to four weeks for non-urgent appointments, difficulties contacting the practice by phone and concerns that there were not enough doctors available. Some also raised concerns about communication with individual clinicians and inconsistent experiences between staff members.

Overall, patients valued the quality of care and the attitude of staff but felt that demand was creating increasing pressure on access to services. The practice acknowledged concerns about appointment availability, waiting times and communication, and highlighted ongoing efforts to improve telephone access, online systems and workforce capacity while responding to continued population growth in the area.