St Martins Practice

I was initially very stressed about switching to a new GP and unsure of how the experience would be. However, my first interaction with St Martin exceeded all expectations. The receptionist(Bradley) was incredibly professional and kind, which immediately put me at ease. I completed the e-consult form, and within just a few hours, a doctor called me to discuss my concerns and scheduled a follow-up appointment to go over everything in detail. I'm genuinely so satisfied with the care and service I've received so far. I'm really happy I chose St Martin as my GP practice!

Felt very fobbed off when i went to see the doctor over some fainting issues that i was struggling to manage along with other chronic heath issues. After ruling out what i thaught it may be i was told to “Stand up slower” and i could be referred to rheumatology if i “really wanted to be” after being told rheumatology wouldn’t see me. The whole appointment I felt like i was wasting the doctors time by being there. I left in tears feeling defeated, dumb and belittled and feeling like this was just another thing in the long list of symptoms I have to live with that couldn’t be fixed (expressed this to the doctor too) to only later see on the nhs app the doctor had written about a medication they could try me on but never once spoke about medication in the appointment.

I have had an extremely disappointing experience with this GP practice. While there are a few competent staff members, my overall interactions have been frustrating and unproductive. Over several months, I sought help for my baby’s severe reflux and eczema. Despite repeated appointments, I was repeatedly told these symptoms were “normal for babies” and would resolve on their own. I raised the possibility of a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) after noticing improvements when I removed dairy from my own diet, but this was dismissed. On one occasion, my concerns were minimised with the comment that CMPA is “very rare.” Following further appointments, where the advice was limited to using moisturiser, I was referred, believing it was to a dermatologist, but was instead seen by another GP at a different practice (Dr Andrew Higgins). He stated he did not believe in allergies, advised only moisturisers and steroids for my five-month old, and said there was “no point” in altering my diet while breastfeeding. I subsequently sought a private consultation with Dr Hodge, who diagnosed my baby with allergies to soya, milk, egg, and peanut, and advised immediate dietary changes. This confirmed my initial concerns and highlighted how much valuable time had been lost in obtaining an accurate diagnosis and appropriate care. More recently, I requested a prescription for hypoallergenic formula, but was told a face to face appointment was required. As there were no available appointments before my relocation, I was advised to purchase it privately. This advice disregards the fact that NHS guidance supports the provision of hypoallergenic formula for infants with confirmed allergies. In my experience, the practice has not provided the necessary support or timely intervention for a baby with multiple confirmed allergies, resulting in unnecessary suffering and stress.

Can I say over the last 30 years plus always found the doctors here extremely supportive BUT recently I’ve found the receptionist is DELIGHTFUL. Really good with people THANK YOU

I will never forgive this practice for the part they played in my loss. I had planned a travel before I found out I was expecting. I tried calling the practice to get a nurse/ midwife/ doctor/ anyone appointment; they referred me to complete the appointment form online. I did this, and nobody reached out to me. I then followed up and I think applied again, I got a text that a nurse practitioner will reach out to me. Nobody ever did. I never saw a health practitioner in the UK before my travel. I lost the baby in one week. I wonder if somebody had seen me, maybe the story will be different. Maybe they would have seen something was wrong. Maybe I would have been sent for a scan. But maybe not. But I will never know, because a group of people sat down and reviewed forms and decided me or my baby were not worth anything, we were not worth seeing or saving. This system of appointment is cruel, it is inhumane and I don’t understand why or how it is allowed. This happened in October, and I am still processing it all. I plan to take this up via all relevant complaints channel. But this Practice has failed me