The Light Surgery

Dangerous medical care nearly cost me my life

I underwent an absolutely traumatic encounter with this medical practice on 03/12/2024, and I feel obligated to detail my horrifying experience. I arrived at the surgery battling severe chest infections and persistent asthma attacks spanning two weeks. After booking through Patchs and arriving early, I consulted with a trainee Advanced Clinical Nurse Practitioner, Edita, and her supervisor. The comprehensive 30-35 minute appointment included an extensive 15-minute physical examination, resulting in a diagnosis of "exacerbation of asthma with severe chest infections." They recommended antibiotics, steroids, and inhalers, assuring me prescriptions would be ready within 15 minutes. Despite being ALONE, breathless and wheezing, I waited 40 minutes before checking the pharmacy, only to discover no prescriptions had been processed. Contacting reception, Sarah placed me on hold for seven minutes before the call abruptly ended. Upon redialing, she claimed my entire consultation was unrecorded in their system, leaving me utterly stunned. Struggling to breathe, I walked back to the surgery, so visibly distressed that strangers asked if I needed help. During this time, I learned Edita hadn't updated my records, causing complete administrative chaos. They promised to send prescriptions within 15 minutes, by which time it was 11:30 AM—nearly two hours after my original 9:30 AM appointment. The pharmacy staff were visibly concerned about my condition, immediately providing an emergency inhaler and helping me recover. After 2.5 hours, prescriptions finally arrived—minus the inhalers! Boots Trinity Pharmacy's incredible staff heroically provided emergency inhalers, preventing another exhausting trip. I subsequently called to request the missing inhaler prescriptions. Sarah answered, becoming defensive when I mentioned the previous disconnected calls, emphatically declaring she'd "never hung up on a patient." The call disconnected again, with her subsequently calling back and completely sidestepping my concerns about the communication breakdown. This experience was absolutely nightmarish. The profound negligence, communication failures, and total lack of urgency potentially endangered my life. The practice's staff appeared completely indifferent to the potentially fatal consequences of their incompetence. I will NEVER return and cannot recommend this surgery to anyone—not even my worst enemies. The sole positive was Boots Pharmacy's compassionate staff, who genuinely cared about my wellbeing. AVOID THIS GP PRACTICE AT ALL COSTS!!!!!

Terrible service and unprofessional registration practices

Terrible service with staff who seem completely clueless. I unexpectedly found myself mysteriously re-registered with different providers multiple times without my consent or awareness. I absolutely cannot suggest this company to anyone under any circumstances.

Unprofessional doctor with terrible patient communication skills

Fresh client here. The general practitioner contacted me with a clearly annoyed demeanor and an attitude of contempt. They curtly suggested I seek alternative care for a specific treatment, without providing any subsequent communication or guidance via email or text message. Absolutely unsatisfactory service.

Frustrating experience with unhelpful medical staff

Lack of empathy and situational intelligence. I arrived for my child's appointment at 9:02 am, technically on time, but was immediately challenged by the confusing layout of "The Light" complex. The inadequate signage and misleading elevator system caused me significant confusion, forcing me to waste precious minutes navigating between floors before finally locating the correct elevator to the upper balcony. With no staff present in the lobby to offer guidance and no directional signs, my experience was particularly frustrating as a newcomer to the UK. Upon explaining my navigation difficulties to the receptionist, I was met with a dismissive and inflexible response. They coldly stated that I had been marked as absent and would need to reschedule, completely disregarding my explanation of the genuine challenges I faced in finding the office. There was absolutely no attempt to accommodate us or show any understanding of the situation. As a medical professional who has relocated from Jamaica, I find this level of customer service unacceptable. I have no desire to return to this service and sincerely hope I will not need to interact with this team again in the future.

Disappointing healthcare with delayed diagnosis and poor service

Scheduling appointments was swift, but their diagnostic capabilities were severely lacking. The turnaround time for blood test results exceeded a month, and despite multiple consultations, they failed to identify my underlying health issue. Consequently, my medical condition worsened, forcing me to seek care through a private healthcare provider.

Unprofessional doctor dismisses patient's serious health concerns

Scheduling an appointment was incredibly challenging. During my visit for sudden hearing loss in one ear, the physician mocked my concerns, insisting that sudden deafness is impossible and that I was fabricating my symptoms. Her demeanor was extremely dismissive and arrogant. She struggled to measure my blood pressure and when I mentioned it seemed elevated, she ridiculed me, claiming I couldn't possibly understand blood pressure readings. She smugly told me to wait for her professional assessment, and then ironically confirmed that my blood pressure was indeed high. Her "hearing test" was laughably unprofessional, consisting of simply clapping near my affected ear and asking if I could hear anything. Despite the physician's appalling behavior, I will note that the reception staff were pleasant and courteous.

Terrible experience with surgery and medication management

My medical experience has been a complete nightmare, with unpredictable interruptions in my prescription medications, making this the most disastrous surgical procedure I've ever undergone.

Compassionate care makes doctor visits less stressful

While medical appointments aren't typically something I look forward to, the staff at the Light consistently make the experience as smooth and comfortable as possible. Both the receptionists and healthcare professionals demonstrate remarkable compassion, actively listen, and provide practical guidance. I typically arrive feeling nervous and stressed, but they always help me leave in a much more positive mental state - I'm truly grateful! Despite the well-known challenges of NHS and GP services being overwhelmed, I've discovered that approaching interactions with openness, understanding, and mutual respect can significantly improve the overall doctor-patient relationship. Recognizing our shared humanity goes a long way in creating a more supportive healthcare environment.

Exceptional service with nicole and dr ameen

Nicole, who manages the front desk, demonstrated exceptional customer service by addressing my various questions with clarity and expertise. Her assistance with the Patchs.ai setup was particularly impressive. Dr. Anwar Ameen deserves high praise for his professional approach and attentive manner in handling our range of inquiries. His thorough and patient demeanor was remarkable. We are thoroughly impressed with the overall quality of this practice.

Terrible service and ineffective treatment option

Called to schedule a consultation, only to be instructed to use patches after being on hold for nearly three-quarters of an hour. The patches proved ineffective and did not resolve my issue.

Terrible healthcare with dangerous prescription and appointment errors

Regrettably, while the reception team is generally supportive, I'm experiencing significant challenges with this medical practice. Medication management is consistently problematic. Prescription orders frequently have errors, with items either missing or delayed in reaching the pharmacy. This has directly resulted in me being unable to access critical medications. Scheduling is extremely restrictive, offering only same-day appointments. The practice utilizes Patchs.ai for appointment automation, which ironically remains non-functional during weekends. Communication involves sending text messages with suspicious links (an immediate warning sign) directing patients to unstable web platforms. These portals use personally identifiable information as login credentials, which seems alarmingly insecure. Navigating these systems requires technical expertise, as patients must often experiment with multiple browsers just to confirm routine appointments. For individuals managing chronic health conditions, I cannot in good conscience endorse this medical practice.

Compassionate healthcare heroes make all the difference

A heartfelt appreciation goes out to Sophie, the compassionate Healthcare Nurse. Her warm demeanor and genuine care were truly remarkable. The healthcare industry would undoubtedly benefit from having more empathetic professionals like her 😊 Since I'm limited to a single review, I'd also like to express my gratitude to Georgie, the wonderful receptionist who has consistently been attentive and supportive during my visits. I'm deeply thankful for both of their exceptional service 🥰

Consistently reliable and compassionate medical care

Throughout my six-year relationship with this medical practice, I've consistently received exceptional healthcare. Whenever I'm feeling unwell, I have complete trust in their ability to support me. The staff consistently provide timely and empathetic treatment. The introduction of telephone appointments and online consultation options has significantly streamlined the process and minimized wait times. I'm truly grateful for their outstanding service.

Frustrating healthcare experience with poor communication

Scheduling staff repeatedly misbook appointment slots, physicians fail to forward prescription details to pharmacies as promised, and phone wait times are excessively long - while I understand the challenges facing our healthcare system, there comes a point where the medical practice must be held accountable. I'm currently unable to access my necessary medications because my general practitioner hasn't renewed my repeat prescription following our recent consultation, despite assuring me he would take care of it.

Frustrating wait times and poor scheduling service

Scheduling a consultation here is an absolute nightmare

Deena made my healthcare experience truly exceptional

This establishment is truly exceptional, with an outstanding team of employees. It's evident that certain staff members demonstrate extraordinary dedication to their patients, particularly Deena! She was simply phenomenal. Her demeanor was impeccable, her communication pace was perfect, and her phone manner was incredibly energetic and attentive. She meticulously ensured everything was handled correctly. If anyone from management reviews these comments, I sincerely hope they recognize Deena's exceptional performance. I genuinely hope she continues on her current professional trajectory, as she is genuinely remarkable. Heartfelt thanks for all the assistance, Deena 😊.

Frustrating first pregnancy experience with unclear testing

As a first-time expectant mother, I'm experiencing some discomfort and sought medical advice from Dr. Karen. I shared that my home pregnancy test came back positive, and I submitted a urine sample in a white-topped container. Unexpectedly, I received a message stating they cannot process my test. Their reasoning is unclear, and now they're requesting I provide a new sample in a red-topped bottle specifically for a urinary tract infection test. This situation has left me feeling frustrated and let down by the GP light surgery's handling of my case.

Terrible patient care and frustrating prescription delays

Completely ineffective when it comes to post-treatment support. I've been waiting over a day for a new prescription while battling a persistent cough that's plagued me for four weeks, a result of medication side effects. I've already modified other prescriptions twice, and have only just been given a script for this debilitating cough that's disrupting my sleep and causing severe dizziness and headaches due to its relentless nature. I've physically gone to the medical office and made repeated calls to expedite the process since yesterday, yet still no resolution. At this moment, I'm stuck on hold for 12 minutes trying to reach reception once more. Seriously, how complicated can it be to simply prescribe an alternative medication, especially after three separate consultations this month?

Amazing product that exceeded my expectations

Truly exceptional.

Confusing appointment times create unnecessary frustration

I was initially told I could have an appointment at 2:30 PM, but then received conflicting text messages suggesting a 12:15 PM slot, despite my earlier request for an earlier time being firmly rejected. Believing they might accommodate me, I arrived at 12:10 PM and checked in at reception, where I was directed to wait downstairs. After spending 45 minutes waiting, I returned to the reception at 12:55 PM, only to be informed that my original 2:30 PM appointment still stood. This created a significant problem for me, as I have another crucial appointment at 2:00 PM, making it impossible to return at 2:30 PM. As a result, I was forced to reschedule my appointment to 4:30 PM today. While I respect the NHS staff, I found the communication and handling of this situation somewhat inconsiderate. The lack of an apology for the confusion further compounded my frustration. I sincerely hope that future interactions will be managed with more clarity and courtesy. I just hope this honest feedback doesn't lead to any negative consequences for me!