Herts & Essex Hospital
Haymeads Lane, Oxford and Cambridge Wards, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 5JHContact details and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
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Reviews
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Review titled A waste of everybody's time...
Rated 1 star out of 5
by John Cook - Posted on 13 March 2025
My son is experiencing painful hearing issues. My GP will now not clear his ears, as they did early last year, because he is under 18 – something that wasn't an issue back then. The doctor said we should either use a private provider or get an appointment. We were happy to pay. We then discovered that high street ear specialists will not do it either because of his age, so we were forced to get a referral. The earliest appointment we could get in December was today (13/03/2025) – a three-month wait. Knowing the NHS is under pressure (because it always is) and being sensible and respectful people, we were patient. I took the morning off work (I work for myself, so apart from the loss of income, it was not a problem). We drove almost an hour to get to Bishop's Stortford from our home, travelling in rush hour to ensure we arrived early for our appointment. We arrived at 10 am for our 10:30 appointment. We were then told it had been cancelled! No letter, no call, no text, no email – nothing. According to the receptionist, there was nothing we could do, and she had no idea what would happen next. She offered us the details for the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)...great! When we eventually got through to them, they said they have had a lot of these cancellations, they don't know why but my son is still on the list! We have to wait to be contacted. They had no idea when that might be!!! No idea! While this is classified as non-urgent, my son is in significant discomfort, so it is not fair on him either. The way we have been treated is as unbelievable as it is disrespectful. Apart from uneccessarily losing around £250 in income because of this debacle, my biggest issue is that noone takes responsibility. Someone's poor work standards or negligence must be causing these issues for us and others! I can only imagine how someone who has to use public transport or is old and vulnerable deals with this treatment. The inabiltiy to find anything out is just awful. I feel completely impotent in resolving this and franky appalled. I also tried to contact the Trust via their published phone line, but it just rings and rings before eventually going to an answerphone - I have of course left a message but I am not holding much hope. It feels like a lot of faceless people doing a poor job behind a wall of invisibility! They are an untouchable scurge fleecing the NHS. What this poor review will do who knows...it'll probably never be seen by anyone willing to take their share of responsibilty. I wish all those people struggling with this type of treament as we are, all the very best! Strength, happiness and health to you all.
Visited Ear, Nose & Throat on March 2025
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Excellent Dermatology Department
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by John - Posted on 10 August 2024
A clean bright Hospital efficiently booked in at reception and a pleasant wait in a nice waiting room I was seen promptly on time and treated very efficiently and professionally by a friendly doctor made to feel at ease and treated my condition very professionally. Everything was explained to me very clearly and I was referred for future treatment to a specialist clinic promptly.
Visited Dermatology on August 2024
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Excellent appointment but confusing car parking machine
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Margaret - Posted on 08 March 2024
Attended dermatology out patient appointment. Able to park in car park but found car parking ticket machine confusing to use. Receptionist in out patients was excellent - checked all my contact details were correct and showed me where to go. Very polite with lovely manner - a credit to the hospital . Had only a short wait before being seen, dermatolgy doctor was very thorough, explained everything to me and was very professional. Overall an excellent consultation at this hospital apart from the confusing instructions on the car parking machine.
Visited Dermatology on March 2024
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Urgent Care
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Lauren - Posted on 15 February 2024
I went to find the urgent care centre at H & E but there isn’t one. There was no one on the main reception to ask. I had to speak to 4 different staff members to find out that I should phone 111. Why is it advertised on the H & E website that there is an urgent care centre when there isn’t. I had to go all the way to Welwyn Garden City to Queen Elizabeth Second.
Visited Urgent care centre on February 2024
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Biased, judgemental, incapable of listening
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 February 2024
Although pleasant enough in person, when I saw their report sent to GP, I was appalled. Completely misrepresented the reason for attending minor injury. Wrote their own version, possibly because by belittling what I said, they can justify doing very little. Made negative assumptions about me from the minute they saw 'depression' in medical history. Absolutely appalled, dismayed by what was written, and the disrespect shown. If I ever have to use that Service again, and I will do everything to avoid, given my experience, I will not talk, I will write my answers down, so they cannot lie and write their own version. Degrading, upsetting, and it will cause problems with GP as a result of what is written. They need to learn to listen, and accurately document, not make their own version to justify their lack of action
Visited Urgent care centre on February 2024
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Patronising and Miscommunication
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Jemma - Posted on 12 September 2023
My husband injured himself a week and half ago. Realised it was getting worse and not better so went to our GP yesterday. They said to go to Herts & Essex, have a X Ray then take the X Ray to the Minor Injuries unit there. Sounded straight forward. I dropped him there this morning- he had his X Ray straight away. Lovely staff. At first they said about going back to GP, so he said what he had been told already, they looked at the X Ray and said something along the lines of- 'Oh yes, you need to go the minor injuries unit now'. So he went to the desk and the staff were very rude. Very blunt. Said he had to go home and wait for the GP to get the X Ray results to then be referred back- absolute waste of time. Implied he had got it wrong when clearly there is a miscommunication between the GP and the unit. He is now home and left unsure if he should be resting or what was seen on the X Ray. I never complain as I know how stretched the NHS is but this has infuriated me. Luckily my work is flexible so I could go back and forth to get him, but if it had been a person with no support! There was still one slot for the day too so wasn't that there was no more appointments either. Very disappointed.
Visited Urgent care centre on September 2023
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Lack of efficiency
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 08 August 2023
Was given tablets for psoriasis and told must have a blood test and results checked within three month as tablets can damage organs. Blood test done with appointment next morning. Appointment cancelled one hour before. Called and was told appointment not cancelled then confirmed it was cancelled. I have now been sent appointment for January 2024, no blood results and no more tablets left. Been calling for four days and not one call back!! What to do now
Visited Dermatology on August 2023
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Walk in minor injiures
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 July 2023
Reception staff where trying to do there best but clinic opened 5/10 mins late and after 55 min wait they where telling people no more for today and that there was two nurses on but only for a couple of hours then down to one at which point I left. A troubled service.
Visited Don't know on July 2023
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Minor injuries unit, refused to be seen
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 July 2023
Hello, I had a fall yesterday morning, will visiting my daughter, I twisted my ankle and hurt both wrists, my left wrist was very painful, so my daughter dropped me off at Herts and essex minor injuries unit around 1pm. I was refused treatment as they was too busy, and told to visit elsewhere! So I was left stranded, I had to sit outside in pain with my wrist for 2 hours till someone could pick me up! On the website it doesn’t mention that you can be refused treatment if they are busy!!!!! I think this is appalling.
Visited Don't know on July 2023
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
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Review titled Blood test
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 01 July 2023
My arm is severely brused over a 10cm2 area following a blood test and the healing process is being quite painful. The nurse who took my blood should undergo training.
Visited Phlebotomy on June 2023
Herts & Essex Hospital has not yet replied.
Information supplied by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust