Enter and view: Basildon Road Surgery
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Healthwatch Greenwich carried out an Enter and View visit to Basildon Road Surgery in Abbey Wood, speaking with five patients. Overall, patients were positive about the practice, describing it as clean, accessible and friendly. Most patients felt well cared for by clinical staff and rated the overall quality of care as good, very good or excellent. Reception staff were generally viewed as helpful and approachable, and patients appreciated the practice's efforts to accommodate urgent appointments when needed.
Patients were largely satisfied with the care they received from GPs and nurses, particularly valuing clinicians who listened carefully, explained conditions and involved them in decisions about treatment. The surgery was praised for cleanliness, ease of obtaining prescriptions and accessibility. Many patients felt their GPs knew them well and provided personalised care.
The main concerns related to appointment booking and punctuality. Some patients reported difficulties getting through by telephone, long waits for routine appointments and appointments running late, sometimes by 20 to 45 minutes. Awareness of services such as GP Access Hubs, translation services and online booking options was low, and Healthwatch observed limited promotion of these services within the waiting area. The waiting room also offered little privacy at reception and had limited facilities for children.
Healthwatch concluded that Basildon Road Surgery provides a generally good service with positive patient experiences. Recommendations included improving access to appointments, reducing appointment delays, increasing awareness of GP Access Hubs and online services, improving signposting to translation and support services, and considering ways to ease pressure on reception staff. The practice responded positively, outlining actions already taken, including improving signage, promoting access hubs and interpreting services, enhancing information about online services and reviewing waiting room information.