Abbey Medical Practice
BB
Becky B. one year ago • From Google
Bad
As a long-standing patient of this GP surgery, I am deeply disheartened to report that my experience over the past two years has been exceptionally poor, to the point where I felt compelled to change practices. Struggling with severe atopic dermatitis, I was forced to visit A&E twice and seek private medical care because the surgery appeared unable or unwilling to provide adequate treatment for my condition. Initially seeking help in early 2023, I was prescribed steroid creams and told to return if problems persisted. Despite repeatedly explaining that these treatments were ineffective, only temporarily suppressing symptoms, I attended six appointments before being referred to a dermatologist. During these consultations, I was initially told allergy tests were unavailable. It wasn't until my fifth appointment, prompted by eye swelling, that an allergy test was finally conducted, revealing an allergy to dog dander. Although the surgery understands the distinction between allergies and atopic dermatitis, obtaining the test was an unnecessarily challenging process, with GPs seeming reluctant to proceed. After multiple cancellations and a prolonged waiting period, I was referred to a dermatologist who ultimately provided incorrect treatment—a fact only discovered through private care and A&E consultations. Driven by the debilitating nature of my condition, which severely impacted my professional and personal life, I sought private medical intervention. The private dermatologist recommended a referral to a severe eczema clinic. Surprisingly, the surgery responded with a letter claiming insufficient resources to write the referral, yet somehow found the capacity to compose a detailed rejection of the recommended treatment. Paradoxically, when I followed up, a referral to Guys Hospital was promptly produced. I feel utterly failed by a system that, with the exception of two compassionate healthcare professionals, demonstrated a complete lack of meaningful support for my serious medical condition.
Amy A.