Enter and view: Esh Winning Surgery

Healthwatch County Durham carried out an enter and view visit to Esh Winning Surgery on 25 June 2018 to gather independent patient feedback and identify examples of good practice. During the visit, Healthwatch held 17 individual conversations with patients and staff and received six completed surveys before the visit, giving feedback from 23 participants in total. 

Patients were highly positive about the surgery and frequently praised the professionalism, friendliness and empathy of doctors, nurses and reception staff. Many valued the supportive relationships they had with staff, describing them as attentive, helpful and understanding. Patients also highlighted the surgery’s convenient location, good parking, accessibility and generally short waiting times.

The appointment system received mixed feedback. Many patients appreciated same-day and early morning appointments, prompt call-backs and evening appointments, but some reported difficulty getting through on the telephone or arranging appointments. Healthwatch observed a clean, spacious and welcoming environment with clear information displays, comfortable seating, good access for patients and positive interactions between staff and service users. 

Healthwatch concluded that Esh Winning Surgery provided a well-organised, patient-centred service with strong staff-patient relationships and high levels of satisfaction. Recommendations included maintaining the efficient service and positive culture, making appointment booking easier where possible, improving privacy in the reception area, and retaining the clear and well-managed health information displays that patients found helpful.