Island Health
AS
Ahmad S. 3 years ago • From Google
Bad
I joined this medical practice around four years ago upon moving to London, primarily due to its proximity to my residence and my landlady's recommendation. According to my understanding, after registration, I should have been invited for a comprehensive health assessment and blood tests to establish a complete medical record, but this never occurred. I simply completed some paperwork and was done. While initially this wasn't problematic, seeking a GP appointment has now become virtually impossible. The practice appears to be exploiting the pandemic as a pretext to avoid patient care. Attempting to book an appointment in person results in reception staff turning you away, claiming they're fully booked and directing you to online or phone booking. However, their website is a non-functional relic seemingly frozen since the pandemic's start, riddled with dead or circular links. The Patient Access app confirms no online booking availability. Phone booking means enduring endless queue times, perpetually positioned as the tenth caller, with minimal chance of connection. I've experienced instances where my queue position inexplicably fluctuated. Reception staff falsely claimed online booking was restricted to 7-10 am, which I've repeatedly found untrue. Even if you miraculously secure a consultation, it'll likely be a phone call with minimal chance of an in-person meeting. Only twice have I successfully reached someone, both during emergencies. One required contacting 111 to prompt GP intervention for a shingles prescription. Another involved a stomach virus where the GP merely suggested dietary adjustments, potentially prolonging my suffering. The practice appears deserted, with just two or three reception staff present, contradicting claims of being overwhelmingly busy and unable to schedule appointments. My current health issues are impacting my work, forcing time off. My employers find it unbelievable that I cannot consult a GP. While understanding NHS funding challenges, using pandemic restrictions as an ongoing excuse for avoiding face-to-face consultations post-normalization is absurd. Healthcare is a fundamental human right; if accessing medical care becomes impossible, the purpose of public healthcare becomes questionable. I've never previously written a negative review, but this situation is so egregious that I feel compelled to highlight these concerns.
Dmitry M.