A former government minister was given an insight into the day-to-day challenges facing GPs and their practice teams when he spent a morning with staff and patients at Ludham Surgery.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb spent time on reception, met practice manager Laura Halls and GP partners Dr Colin Sale and Dr Elizabeth Christie, and spoke with members of the surgery's Patient Participation Group to get their views on a range of issues. The visit was arranged after a patient wrote to Mr Lamb about his attempt to book an appointment, and the surgery suggested he see for himself the systems they have in place to meet demand.

Ms Halls said: 'We wanted to give Mr Lamb a chance to see for himself the work we do and the pressures we face, and it provided a good chance to discuss a whole range of issue including patient expectations, appointments, integrated working, funding, patient engagement and patient care.'

'At the end of his visit he was extremely positive about what he had seen – so much so that he told the waiting room full of patients how impressed he was with the surgery.

'He said it was evident we had patient safety and care at the heart of all we do and that he found us to be warm, friendly and professional. We were delighted that he took time to visit us.'

A former care minister in the coalition government, Mr Lamb is the Lib Dems' health spokesman.

He said: 'I was struck by the extraordinarily positive endorsement of the service offered by this surgery, from the Patient Participation Group and indeed from other residents in Ludham who I spoke to.

'This seems to be an exemplar practice with fantastic links with their local community, and a determination to go the extra mile for their patients.'

Ludham and Stalham Green Surgeries is one of the 19 member practices that make up North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group. The surgeries are located in Staithe Road, Ludham, and Yarmouth Road, Stalham.