Alma Medical Centre

Terrible healthcare service with zero patient support

Appalling. I've repeatedly called and been bounced between the pharmacy and surgery, revealing their utterly dysfunctional communication system. I personally witnessed a patient at reception attempting to obtain a repeat prescription for her child, only to be told no record existed. The online consultation process drags on interminably in the morning, and phone staff seem deliberately unhelpful and medically unqualified to handle patient inquiries. When I finally raised concerns at the desk, I was informed my original doctor was absent and my case reassigned, though patients are actively discouraged from in-person visits. Despite my assumption that the practice would be overwhelmed, the waiting room was virtually empty, with an eerie silence hanging in the air. The entire experience has been deeply troubling. Never in my life have I encountered such systematic incompetence, regardless of holiday schedules. The fact that I've had to make over five phone calls just to secure an appointment - let alone receive any meaningful response about my progressively deteriorating medical condition - is completely unacceptable.

Transformed view of local surgery after patient care

Initially, I posted a 1-star review after joining the practice around a year and a half ago due to the challenging process of scheduling appointments. This was in the aftermath of the pandemic, which seemed to affect all medical practices. Despite the initial booking difficulties, every medical professional I've encountered has been outstanding. The doctors and nurses have consistently demonstrated both warmth and professionalism, and I'm genuinely satisfied with the level of care provided. While I previously had a few unsatisfactory interactions with reception staff, I believe this was simply a result of their overwhelming workload. More recently, all my interactions have been positive, though it remains frustrating that appointment bookings are restricted to morning hours only.

Exceptional care and quick service from start

The personnel here are absolutely top-notch, from the front desk team to the medical professionals. Within just a single hour, from my initial morning phone call to departing the facility, I received prompt service and found my concerns completely alleviated.

Terrible medical care with unprofessional and disrespectful staff

The medical professionals at this facility display an appalling lack of professionalism, persistently probing into unnecessary personal matters instead of focusing on providing genuine medical care. I strongly advise against seeking treatment here if you have any alternative options available.

Booking an appointment nightmare at this surgery

I have never experienced such a maddening and inefficient process when attempting to schedule a straightforward medical appointment. The practice has apparently implemented a new approach that eliminates phone booking, instead pushing patients towards their E-consult platform. While they might claim this is modernization, the online system proves equally problematic, paradoxically requiring a phone call for initial registration. The real nightmare begins when actually trying to telephone the surgery. It's akin to being trapped in an endless maze of automated recordings, with promises of assistance that perpetually remain unfulfilled. The entire experience is a continuous loop of pure frustration and squandered time. What medical facility can reasonably expect patients to access critical healthcare services when simply booking an appointment becomes an insurmountable challenge? This complete lack of accessibility isn't just inconvenient—it potentially compromises patients' health and well-being. I strongly implore the practice's management to critically reassess their current systems and genuinely prioritize patient needs. Until meaningful improvements are made, I absolutely cannot recommend this surgery to anyone seeking prompt and reliable healthcare services.

Excellent care marred by terrible front desk service

Exceptional medical professionals, but the front desk staff, specifically Elaine, is extremely discourteous and creates an unwelcoming atmosphere.

Terrible reception ruins otherwise excellent medical practice

Exceptional medical professionals, but the front desk staff, specifically Elaine, displays an extremely discourteous and unwelcoming demeanor.

Frustrating medical office with unhelpful staff

Receptionist dominates, doctor seems absent. When scheduling an appointment, the front desk staff merely answers calls with unhelpful responses like "no appointments available" or "call back later." Each time I contact them, they redirect me, suggesting I try again at a different time, with the receptionist providing minimal guidance.

Worst purchase ever disappointing and frustrating

Terrible

Frustrating online booking system wastes my time

Frustrating online booking experience with Alma. Their website provides instructions for scheduling an appointment, but when you attempt to follow through, the system indicates the service is unavailable. Completely unhelpful and inefficient.

Amazing healthcare with caring and quick response

Exceptional customer care from the front desk team, with the physician reaching out promptly and courteously within 60 minutes. The entire staff consistently delivers top-notch service. Highly appreciative of their professionalism.

Frustrating wait but finally decent healthcare service

Their E consult scheduling cuts off unexpectedly before 11 AM, and they adamantly decline booking future appointments, even for dates weeks ahead. I wasted an entire hour on hold, only to be dismissively told to call back the next day. As a healthcare professional, I find this approach completely unacceptable. However, after ultimately securing an appointment, the staff at the deaf center were genuinely pleasant and accommodating. The physician was prompt, minimizing wait time and efficiently addressing my concerns.

Terrible service with endless lies and deception

Deceivers. Without fail, each encounter is riddled with dishonesty and deliberate misdirection. Utterly appalling, if this were a physical business, it would have been shuttered and facing multiple lawsuits.

Worst medical service ever experienced in britain

Absolutely abysmal service in the UK, impossible to reach by phone for extended periods... and when they finally answer, their demeanor is discourteous, unprofessional, and disrespectful.... it is imperative that someone from upper management conduct a thorough investigation into why so many patients are thoroughly dissatisfied with this medical practice. I firmly believe we must pursue legal action against this surgery....

Worst medical experience ever terrible service nightmare

This place is terrible. It took me four months to finally get registered, and I had to create a dramatic scene at the reception just to get any action. The first receptionist flat-out lied to my face about registration times, rushing through in 30 minutes to avoid extra work. Every attempt to schedule an appointment was impossible, as they only offer emergency slots, which is incredibly challenging for a full-time professional who can't spend hours on hold. I was forced to break down on the phone, desperately explaining my critical need for asthma medication, but they remained completely unhelpful. This morning, I've been trying to call for an hour. Despite showing as open since 8 AM on Google, it's now 9, and their phone system keeps claiming they can't answer. Aside from maybe a couple of employees, the rest are utterly incompetent and should be ashamed of their pathetic performance in the workplace.

Tragic medical neglect leading to devastating loss

This medical procedure, what can I express? My sibling, throughout his life, was prescribed medications that ultimately led to his addiction. Healthcare providers persistently dispensed these drugs without conducting thorough follow-up consultations, showing complete indifference. Now, at 40 years old, he has passed away. The medical system failed him entirely - no assistance, no support. Distributing medication so carelessly is no trivial matter. The front desk staff were extremely discourteous and disrespectful. The NHS is supposed to care for people, and compassion shouldn't come with a price tag.

Incompetent surgery fails to complete simple form

The surgical experience was absolutely abysmal, and I'm seriously considering filing a formal complaint or pursuing legal recourse. Like every other taxpayer, I contribute significantly to the system and anticipate at least a basic standard of service. Moreover, I have BUPA healthcare to minimize strain on NHS resources. This isn't unprecedented—delays have been chronic—but currently, I've been waiting seven weeks for a straightforward form completion to activate my BUPA insurance. Despite numerous discussions and repeated promises, no form has materialized, rendering the service I'm paying for inaccessible due to the clinic's sheer incompetence. The surgery manager, Matthew, personally called me last Wednesday (nine days ago), guaranteeing resolution by that Friday and assuring me the form would be processed. More than a week later, predictably, there's been total radio silence, and they're unwilling to even explain complaint escalation procedures—which seems like a fundamental right. The situation is humiliating. The staff's attitude (with rare exceptions) is insufferably pompous, treating patients with condescension as if they're somehow superior—it's utterly ridiculous.

Worst medical experience ever terrible service

This medical practice is completely useless. They should seriously consider shutting down. Absolutely no assistance provided whatsoever.