Aldergate Medical Practice

Struggling to get quick face-to-face appointments

My partner is registered with the practice and has experienced delays in securing an appointment. He is unwell and requires an in-person consultation. I am pleased to be a patient at this practice myself.

Friendly staff who listen and help

I would certainly suggest this medical practice to others! The team members are approachable and work efficiently to provide assistance whenever possible - and given that I have been a patient here for nearly three decades - that demonstrates consistently excellent care. The automated telephone system can be somewhat difficult at times, but once you get through - the standard of service is outstanding. Well done on maintaining such high standards!

Phone calls met with rudeness and impatience

Frustrated with the experience of calling to check on medication availability for ongoing pain management. Each time I ring, regardless of how courteous I am, I feel dismissed and unwelcome. The interactions lack compassion, and I find myself being interrupted and left with the impression that my calls are unwanted.

Prescription delays left me frustrated and unheard

The practice demonstrated a lack of compassion in their approach to patient care. I was managing a serious cardiovascular condition and experienced significant delays in prescription processing, with timescales extending well beyond the stated timeframe. When I attempted to address these delays, the response felt dismissive and unhelpful. I was also given interim medication advice that conflicted with guidance I had received from a specialist, which caused me concern. While I recognise that healthcare staff deserve fair compensation, the attitude displayed made it difficult to understand why investment in the service would be justified. Overall, I felt the standard of care fell short of what patients should reasonably expect.

Difficult to get appointments and results weren't explained

I experienced significant swelling affecting my lower leg that made walking extremely difficult. Obtaining appointments proved challenging, but I eventually secured three visits. During the first appointment, the clinician was pleasant and arranged a blood test, which gave me hope that my issue would be resolved. However, when I followed up about the results, I was simply told they were normal with no further explanation. When I pointed out that my swelling persisted, I was advised to book another appointment. At this subsequent visit, I was seen by a trainee rather than an experienced practitioner, and they suggested compression stockings. I felt this wasn't addressing the underlying cause and requested additional investigations, but was told this wasn't necessary given my earlier test results. I scheduled a further appointment to discuss my concerns, only to receive the same response. Frustrated with the lack of progress, I attended the accident and emergency department, where investigations revealed I have a cardiac condition. Since this discovery, I have been attempting to arrange a referral appointment at the practice. My repeated attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful, with approximately 28 calls going unanswered. I am extremely dissatisfied with my experience at this practice and would not recommend it to others.

Impossible to book appointments or request prescriptions

I previously had positive regard for this practice due to their patient-focused approach, however the service has noticeably declined in recent times. Accessing appointments has become increasingly difficult, the online platform experiences frequent outages, and telephone-based prescription requests are no longer available despite the already limited appointment windows - this creates a significant barrier when trying to obtain necessary medication through standard channels. Several members of the administrative team appear dismissive when contact is eventually established. The overall experience has become disappointing for what was once a reliable service. On a positive note, the clinical staff generally provide good care once appointments are secured, albeit after considerable waiting periods. To alleviate strain on telephone services, maintaining the website functionality would be beneficial. The current situation creates genuine challenges for patients managing their healthcare needs.

Impossible to get an appointment here

The practice has become increasingly difficult to access and no longer meets expectations. It was more functional under previous management, but the current situation is disappointing. Obtaining an appointment has become an extremely challenging process.

Missed calls and unhelpful rescheduling process

I found this experience to be quite frustrating. I arranged an appointment through the non-emergency services and was given a time slot in the afternoon. I was expecting to receive a call from the clinic at that time, however by the scheduled time plus a further fifteen minutes, no contact had been made. I briefly stepped away for a couple of minutes, during which I missed two incoming calls from the clinic arriving simultaneously. When I returned the calls promptly, I was informed that I would need to contact the non-emergency services again to reschedule, and that the clinic would not be calling back. I felt disappointed by the lack of consideration shown. It seems inconsistent that the clinic expects patients to maintain certain standards of behaviour when the staff do not appear to extend the same courtesy in return. Overall, I felt the clinic's approach to patient interactions fell well short of what I would consider acceptable.

Switched practices and regretted it immediately

I regret my decision to transfer to a different practice. The medical professionals at my previous surgery were of excellent quality.

Felt dismissed due to my age

Felt dismissed and not properly understood during my visit. There seemed to be a lack of empathy in the interaction. I experienced what felt like dismissive treatment, which I found deeply disappointing.

Hard to book appointments with working schedule

The practice has some excellent clinical staff members and a couple of particularly helpful reception team members. However, obtaining an appointment can be quite challenging due to high demand on the system, which makes it difficult for working patients to access care when needed.

Booking appointments nearly impossible to secure

I have been a patient at this practice for my entire life, and my family members have also been registered there for decades. Over the years, we have witnessed significant changes in the quality of care provided. The practice was once considered among the best locally, but accessing medical professionals has become increasingly difficult. The appointment booking system is problematic. I have frequently been advised that I need to see a doctor, yet securing an appointment takes nearly a month. Although specific call-in times are provided, the reception staff often make patients feel like they are imposing a burden. In previous consultations, clinical explanations have been vague and unhelpful. Treatment suggestions have not aligned with my preferences, and the advice given over recent years has been inadequate. After three decades of loyalty, I made the decision to register elsewhere. Since switching practices, I have been unable to obtain an appointment for a health concern that has persisted for several weeks, despite calling at the recommended times. The overall experience with both clinical and administrative staff has been disappointing, and I cannot in good conscience recommend this practice. During my transition to a new practice, I developed a serious acute infection and experienced significant illness. I contacted my previous practice requesting urgent medication for my deteriorating symptoms, only to be told the earliest available appointment was a week away, with the alternative of calling at 8am daily hoping for a cancellation. When I contacted my new practice, they expressed concern about whether my previous practice was meeting its duty of care obligations. I ultimately attended a walk-in centre to receive the necessary treatment. I am deeply dissatisfied with this experience and would advise others to consider alternative options.

Impossible to book an appointment here

Disappointing experience with appointment availability. Unable to secure a slot despite following the suggested calling times. When raising concerns about the booking process, the call was disconnected without resolution to the issue.

Practice cancelled appointment without proper notice

I arrived at 8:09am to find that no walk-in or telephone appointments were available. When I enquired about booking, I was advised to submit a formal complaint if I wished to secure an appointment more quickly. My scheduled appointment was cancelled just ten minutes before it was due to commence. The staff appeared unhappy during my interactions. Additionally, I discovered that my blood test results could not be located.

Phone lines overwhelmed during morning booking rush

I attempted to book an appointment on two consecutive days, both times calling from 8.00am. Despite trying from two different phones, I was unable to connect until after 8.25 on each occasion, only to be informed that no appointments were available. On the first day, the receptionist was unhelpful and did not provide their name. When I enquired about a routine matter, I was told that they were unable to assist with that type of query. On the second day, the receptionist who identified themselves when answering was notably helpful, professional, and courteous, and was able to address my question. However, I still could not secure an appointment. The practice would benefit from having additional reception staff available during morning hours, with all staff maintaining the same level of service quality. It is frustrating for patients to experience such lengthy waits on a daily basis, repeatedly calling back only to hear that appointments are unavailable. The clinical staff are excellent when appointments are obtained, but the telephone booking system significantly undermines their work. For patients with more urgent health concerns, accessing an appointment would likely prove considerably more difficult.

Booking system needs urgent improvement

Disappointing experience with the appointment scheduling system.

Booking system makes getting appointments unnecessarily difficult

I'm really disappointed with how this surgery has changed over the past couple of years. It used to be somewhere I had confidence in, but the service has noticeably declined. The appointment booking system has become much more restrictive – you used to be able to book in advance or use online options, but now you're required to call at 8am on the day you need to be seen. The phone lines get overwhelmed and calls are dropped regularly, and even when you do get through, you're often told there are no appointments left and have to try again the next day. My elderly relative recently had to stand outside the building while unwell just to manage to secure an appointment. This situation really needs to be addressed, as struggling to book an appointment when you're already feeling poorly adds unnecessary stress and difficulty. I'd urge the practice to reconsider the current booking arrangements. 🙏

Booking system makes appointments unnecessarily difficult

The appointment scheduling system is quite frustrating. It's extremely challenging to secure an appointment given the daily rush at opening time, and advance bookings are not available. The clinical staff are excellent once you finally manage to get seen, but the difficulty lies in actually obtaining an appointment in the first place. The reception team's demeanor is inconsistent—occasionally they are welcoming, though frequently they seem to treat appointment requests as a burden. Significant improvements to the booking process would be beneficial.

Couldn't get through on the phone line

I attempted to book an appointment by calling at 8am but encountered significant difficulty reaching the practice. After numerous attempts, I was eventually told that no same-day slots were available. The process felt unnecessarily frustrating and time-consuming compared to booking other services.

Phone queue was quick and helpful

I called the practice on a Friday morning and was able to get a same-day appointment. The clinician I saw was excellent and very helpful. I think it's important to acknowledge when things go well, as I'm aware the practice receives mixed feedback.