Enter and view: The Penrhyn Surgery

Healthwatch Waltham Forest undertook an announced enter and view visit to Penrhyn Surgery on 19 June and 2 July 2025.

Many patients expressed confidence in the clinical care they received. They described staff as professional, respectful, and attentive, and said they felt safe and listened to during their appointments. The majority felt that the current mix of inperson and remote consultations worked well for them, and survey results indicated that patients expressed trust in the clinical team. Patients also referred to the wider offer at the practice. Alongside routine appointments, there were health-promotion events, a gardening club which supported wellbeing and reduced isolation, and a Patient Participation Group (PPG) which provided a structured way for patients to share their views and contribute to shaping services. While the overall picture was positive, the visit also highlighted challenges.

 Some patients still found it difficult to secure an appointment at the first attempt, particularly at peak times. When this happened, they often relied on NHS 111 or retried the next day. The telephone system had improved since the introduction of a call-back function, which reduced average waiting times, but demand continued to create pressure. Online booking through Klinik, the practice’s digital consultation system, worked for many, but some patients said they had never used it or were not aware of its function. 

Support for communication was in place, including a portable hearing loop, Easy Read materials and translated information on the website, but these were not always clearly visible or widely known by patients. The practice had also updated its website to make information clearer and easier to navigate, contributing to patient engagement and an increase in NHS App registrations during 2025.

Overall, patients valued the quality of the care they received and noted improvements made to the service, including the telephone call-back system, the refurbished building with more consulting space, website updates to improve accessibility, and clearer booking processes. Care was delivered by a range of staff, including clinical roles such as pharmacists and care coordinators, with communitybased initiatives providing additional support beyond consultations. The findings indicated that the practice had taken steps to respond to patient needs and to strengthen access, while also highlighting where further improvements could make services more consistent and accessible for all.