The Laurels Surgery

Frustrating healthcare with endless scheduling roadblocks

scheduling here is an absolute nightmare. seems like you need to be on death's doorstep just to secure a consultation with a healthcare provider.

Worst customer service nightmare ever experienced

Terrible personnel and leadership. Appalling behavior, inadequately prepared, and vindictive if you attempt to voice concerns.

Worst customer service ever frustrating experience

This establishment is completely useless. I spent an entire week attempting to schedule an appointment, and when I finally managed to connect with someone by phone, they instructed me to call back again the next morning at 8:30.

Friendly service makes healthcare experience better

Enjoyable experience. Friendly and personable employees who brought some lightheartedness to the interaction. The facility has a contemporary, well-maintained appearance. We appreciated being referred to this location through NHS Wales.

Incredible staff make this surgery truly special

The current state of this surgery deeply troubles me. The population of Flint has drastically changed, feeling overcrowded and overwhelming. Staff are struggling immensely under immense pressure, which isn't unique to this location but a widespread issue. Hospitals are stretched thin, and while they're constantly in the media spotlight, this shouldn't diminish the challenges faced by local medical practices. Having multiple family members working in the NHS, I've gained insider perspectives on their experiences. With two GPs, five nurses, a paramedic, and a surgery receptionist in my close family, I understand how challenging their work has become. The staff at The Laurels are genuinely exceptional. In the past week, my life has been dramatically transformed by their incredible care. While the system might need restructuring, this isn't the fault of the frontline staff, who remain phenomenal despite challenging circumstances. My appreciation for them became crystal clear after experiencing a different, temporary surgery during Covid-19, where I was isolating with my partner and his children in Shropshire. That alternative practice was significantly inferior. I was left feeling humiliated and terrified after my visits, in stark contrast to the reassuring, professional approach at The Laurels. I am profoundly grateful to The Laurels, especially a particular doctor, for their support over the past fortnight. I implore others to be patient, understanding, and compassionate towards these healthcare workers who are true heroes. Heartfelt thanks, The Laurels.

Frustrating medical practice with zero communication

"Health and Wellbeing", good grief, the pretentious title is almost comically pathetic. My son is a casualty—I mean patient—of this medical practice that rivals the chaos of Fawlty Towers. He simply needed a repeat prescription for acid reflux medication. Supposedly straightforward: tick a box, request repeat, collect meds. But wait—an unexplained word appears on the prescription, leaving both us and the pharmacist bewildered. Preparing for an epic phone odyssey, I pack provisions for what promises to be a bureaucratic battle. After connecting, I learn the mysterious word means "requires GP consultation before repeat". This is a basic indigestion remedy, for heaven's sake, not a treatment for a deadly epidemic! Naively, I ask how to secure this elusive consultation. The response? Accessing their "Inner Sanctum" is about as easy as scaling Mount Everest. Instructed to call at 8:30, I dive into the familiar phone call lottery—endless ringing, recorded messages, more ringing. Forty-three excruciating minutes later, a voice announces all consultations are full. My son, undergoing dialysis, has already had his repeat sorted by his consultant. So "Health and Wellbeing" can return to their standard inefficiency. One burning question: since you apparently don't see patients and home visits seem prehistoric, what exactly do the doctors here do? I'm genuinely curious, not just being snarky. No wonder doctors fled en masse last April—a remarkably sensible decision.

Terrible service from a dysfunctional medical system

I'd award zero stars if possible. The older reception staff (specifically at Glan Clwyd, who've been called bulldogs) consistently fail to forward crucial hospital correspondence and claim no appointments are accessible. I've now resorted to communicating through my consultant's receptionist, who understands how dire the situation has become.

Terrible service at a frustrating doctors surgery

I've never encountered a medical practice like this before. You're told to call and schedule an appointment starting at 8:30, but when you finally get through at 9:00, there are no slots available. I understand we're dealing with the COVID pandemic, but why can't they bring in additional on-call doctors? With the surgery being closed, people's physical and mental health will undoubtedly suffer, and it seems these healthcare providers couldn't care less!! This is now my second week attempting to secure an appointment for essential medication. Without a doubt, this is the most incompetent medical facility I've ever experienced. If you require medical attention, I strongly advise steering clear of this so-called health and wellbeing centre.

Terrible service that left me completely frustrated

Terrible establishment that consistently causes nothing but headaches and frustration at every turn

Terrible medical care with delayed doctor response

Appalling medical procedure, with the front desk staff being courteous. However, when the physician finally returns the call—after a delay of approximately 4 to 5 days—my partner is deeply embarrassed for simply requesting a prescription.

Worst medical practice ever with terrible timing

I'd rate this experience zero stars if possible. I was instructed to arrive by 10:30am or risk cancellation of my appointment, so I made sure to be there by 10:20. Despite this, I wasn't seen until 11:43am. Completely ridiculous. The waiting room had fewer than 10 patients, making this delay at a medical facility utterly unacceptable.

Dishonest receptionists ruin patient experience completely

I overheard a receptionist repeatedly lying to phone callers, claiming only one doctor was available today and suggesting they call back tomorrow, while simultaneously telling waiting room patients that two doctors were working. This wasn't a one-time mistake, but a deliberate deception I heard her tell 4-5 different callers. Additionally, they were aggressively trying to redirect patients to nurses, even when patients specifically requested to see a doctor. Myself and another patient who explicitly asked to see a doctor were initially called in by a nurse and then had to re-enter to see the doctor as we originally requested. While some receptionists here are excellent, on this particular day their behavior was completely unacceptable. It is not a receptionist's role to arbitrarily decide a doctor's availability, fabricate information, or ignore patient preferences by booking them with nurses when they've clearly asked to see a doctor. Absolutely appalling.

Terrible service for working parents and sick children

This medical practice discriminates against those with standard working hours. If you're employed, securing an appointment becomes practically impossible. My daughter was actually told by the receptionist that if her issue was truly critical, she wouldn't be concerned about missing work. Furthermore, when parents have unwell children, they're instructed to arrive at the surgery by 8:30 am, but consistently end up waiting until around 11 am due to the extremely long queue outside. What parent wants to stand in an extensive line and then endure hours of waiting with a sick child? The entire situation is completely unacceptable.