Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street, London, NW3 2QGContact details and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Eternal wait
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 27 December 2023
Presenting myself at theA&E with chest discomfort and short breath, because the apparently lost a blood sample I must wait for more than 10 hr to be send home with very poor information and updates about, with bad nurse in contact with patient, hopefully will not be another time.
Visited Accident and emergency services on December 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 05 June 2024
We are sorry to read of the experience you describe above and please accept our apologies for the delay in acknowledging your feedback. Your comments will be shared with the A&E team. Best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled A Mixed Experience
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 February 2024
During 2023, I had two gyane surgeries at the Royal Free - one day surgery minor procedure and one major surgery requiring hospitalisation. It's difficult to leave a review as the surgeries went well, which is the main thing. I'm grateful to live in a country that has a national healthcare service and have had access to all the highly qualified, experienced, and outstanding professionals at the Royal Free. The medical professionals - surgeon, anaesthetists, gynaecologists, doctors, colposcopy staff, scanning technicians, etc were fantastic. Some were reassuring, upbeat, empathetic, and communicated to a high level. Others not so much and appeared to be harried and pressed for time, almost 'working to rule' stance but that is understandable. However, and this is a huge 'but', the admin system fails and a huge majority of the nursing staff (or rather 'healthcare assistants', let's face it there's no way most of them are even beginning to be correctly qualified for the job) were so dysfunctional and appalling that they directly put my life at risk. They made error after error to the point the only way to survive is to be well enough to self-manage one's own case and be knowledgeable enough of medical issues and alert at all times to potential mistakes and also staunch enough to assert one's own rights. It's a case of watching your back at all times and then fighting for one's basic human rights and needs - such as water or a blanket. This is barely possible when profoundly unwell and / or coming out of major surgery and on morphine! I was removed from the hospital by a friend when I was in no way fit to leave. My friend insisted we got out after she came and witnessed me being verbally abused by a nurse (who then came and cried actual tears and begged us for forgiveness so we ended up comforting him - ludicrous!). I left the hospital constantly vomiting, unable to walk, and completely traumatised but it was better than staying there. Thank you for the amazing surgery - I'm blown away to have been left with only tiny little scars and now be alleviated of some chronic debilitating health problems. As for the rest of it, it's totally dysfunctional and needs radical overhaul urgently in my opinion. Nobody should be exposed to unqualified or incompetent 'nurses' or abuse or patient paperwork mix up. No nurse should be working 12 hour days. The weakest links are prolific and life threatening in this hospital in my observation.
Visited Gynaecology on December 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 12 February 2024
I am sorry to hear about your experience and offer apologies on behalf of the Trust. If you would like this to be investigated as a complaint, please contact our Barnet complaints team (who oversee our gynaecology services). The team's e-mail is: rf-tr.bcfcomplaints@nhs.net
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Review titled Nucleare Medicine Staff/Dept
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Joyce Z - Posted on 30 November 2023
A friendly warm welcome by all staff. From car parking attendants, staff on reception to volunteers - all had a smile and were very helpful. Special thanks to all staff in the Nucleare Medicine dept for making my visit so pleasant in this wonderful state of the art facility. I can't thank you enough.
Visited Don't know on November 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 05 June 2024
Dear Joyce, Please accept our apologies for the oversight which has led to there being an inexcusable delay in acknowledging your feedback. It's lovely to read that you received a warm welcome and a smile from all staff and volunteers you encountered. We'll share your feedback with the reception staff and the nuclear medicine department. Best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled Accessibility
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 29 November 2023
Regardless of clinical care being directly delivered- missing an appointment time then getting ticked off for being 5 minutes late is not acceptable whilst awaiting a cancer diagnosis. The lifts at the hospital in Hampstead are awful and people are directed right left and centre due to the complex nature of their controls. I had to use the stairs in the end which is not easy whilst you have Stage 4 osteoarthritis on a knee. Meanwhile the other lift bank’s reserved for staff were laying empty. Why can’t the hospital sort access to its clinics out. Why does it have to be so stressful. Took 25 minutes to leave the floor. If this is reflective of care- I’d be seriously concerned
Visited Urology on November 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 05 June 2024
Firstly, please accept our apologies for the oversight which has led to there being an inexcusable delay in acknowledging your feedback. We'll share your comments with the estates team (engineers) who look after the lifts. We hope that any care you have received from the hospital has not been reflective of the accessibility issues you faced to attend your appointment. Best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled The care I was given here was truly exceptional.
by Chris2304 - Posted on 29 September 2023
I had a stroke in August 2023 which left me paralysed down the right side of my body. After spending 2 weeks at the Queen Square and Royal Free hospital I was transferred to the neurological rehab unit at Edgeware Community hospital. The care I was given here was truly exceptional. The skill and patience of the physios was excellent and I could see significant improvement every day. By the end of my 5 week stay I was able to walk again without using a stick. The facilities are good and the nursing team were also fantastic - very attentive and caring.
Visited August 2023
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 05 June 2024
Dear Chris2304, Firstly, please accept our apologies for the oversight which has led to there being an inexcusable delay in acknowledging your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write to us about your experience at the Neurological Rehab Centre in Edgware. It's amazing to read that after a 5 week stay you were able to walk without a stick - a testament to their great work and your own determination no doubt! We'll make sure that the team at NRC are aware of your feedback. Best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled Always quick and efficient
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Florance - Posted on 22 August 2023
Staff who do take the bloods are always cheerful, friendly and do their job very well. It took under 2 minutes for my appointment this morning and I barely felt a thing.
Visited Phlebotomy on August 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 12 September 2023
Dear Florance, Thank you for taking the time to write a review about your experience. We'll pass your feedback on to the manager of the service. With best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled Noise from air conditioning on 10th floor
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 25 August 2023
The air conditioning seems to be on at full rate making the room extremely cold also resulting in a high volume making it impossible to sleep over night. The controls for the air conditioning with in the ward/room seem not to work
Visited Don't know on August 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 12 September 2023
Dear patient, Thank you for your feedback and apologies for the delay in responding. We can share this with our estates team, however it would be useful to know on which ward this was occurring. If you're happy to do so, please email us at rf.patientexperience@nhs.net Best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled Outstanding Day Surgery Experience!
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 02 August 2023
I am so, so grateful for my stay in the Day Surgery Unit. Everyone involved in my care was absolutely wonderful (and I could see the little kindnesses they showed to other patients also, above and beyond their jobs). No-one chooses to need treatment (!) but the staff here make the experience as pleasant as possible, and their patients are very fortunate!
Visited Day treatment services on July 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 12 September 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review about your experience on the day surgery unit and apologies for the delay in responding. We'll share your feedback with the team. Best wishes, the patient experience team
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Review titled Shocking patient care
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Alexia Loukaides - Posted on 28 July 2023
Absolutely terrible experience. I had my gallbladder removed in March 2023. I have yet to see a doctor post op we are now at the end of July. I've had 3 a&e visits from the pain and side effects , I had an ultrasound In April which I still haven't had the results of. 5 cancelled appointments due to strikes. Finally 28th of July comes and I get to my appointment early, 45 minutes go past I'm still waiting so i asked a nurse how long is the the wait to which she responded you ask too many questions, I sit back down, an hour and half has gone by I go to the reception to ask how much longer as I have work, the lady then goes to the rude nurse and ask her how much longer to which she responded I need to put this other person first bearing in mind this patients appointment was scheduled 45 minutes after mine. How can someone pick and chose who is seen first. We are clearly all unwell that is why we are there. I told them I will go privately and I want to be removed from their care as the are clearly not interested in my health. Absolutely disgusting service and I feel utter neglect by this hospital
Visited Gastrointestinal and Liver services on July 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 02 August 2023
Thank you for taking the time to outline your dissatisfaction with the service you have received. This certainly does not sound like the level of care we aspire to provide our patients, and we would welcome the opportunity to investigate further. If you could please e-mail our complaints team (rf.complaints@nhs.net) with the information above and anything else you feel relevant, along with your hospital number and contact details, we can facilitate an investigation into your concerns.
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Review titled Bad Experience
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 June 2023
Never available and too quick to discharge. My experience with them is limited as you never see anyone face to face. It has taken 3 years to get an MRI with them after an accident. No investigation what so ever. Very poor service should be investigated by the BMA.
Visited Pain Management on June 2023
Review titled Royal Free Hospital
Replied on 05 June 2024
We are sorry for the oversight which has led to there being an inexcusable delay in acknowledging your feedback - please accept our apologies. We hope that you have now had the MRI. Best wishes, the patient experience team
Information supplied by Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust