The London Clinic Reviews 

Avoid this clinic at all costs. 1 - They are not transparent about their pricing.
2 - They accept doctors who have a poor bedside manner and I question their capabilities.

Consultants, facilities and staff at those facilities are very good.

However, the secretaries and booking appointments and surgical procedures/ scans are absolutely abysmal and an incredible painful experience requiring significant admin time of my own to phone up to query wrong things or chase... From incorrect appointments, being sent to wrong addresses for a procedure, an apparent lack of female gynos and a scan that took 6 weeks to arrange from my consultation, lack of appreciation for being insured at TLC and not covered at other hospital/ Consultant for referrals (despite explaining this multiple times), not receiving confirmation emails of appointments or info on where procedures will be - I have to phone to ask for the address and what preparations I need to take ahead (i.e, do I need to fast, need someone to get me etc etc), then get told wrong addresses when I call, not get called back to make appointments - I have to chase several times.

Honestly it's been super stressful and takes so much more time out of my day than it should in dealing with the appointments/ secretary team, stress which I should not having. It's a shame because this massively let's down the good standard of the consultants and nursing team, resulting in a very negative and stressful patient experience overall. The NHS have a much better quality and efficiency of service in this regard - your appointment team/ secretaries could learn something from them.

The patient came for a check-up on 10 November because he was concerned that his leukaemia had returned. A male nurse (from the Philippines?) gave him his blood test and it was done for him. The patient (not a trained medical professional!!!) had to explain to the nurse that the results were quite worrying and that he should talk to the doctor.

The doctor confirmed patient's concerns and suggested a bone marrow biopsy. For some reason beyond my understanding, the first available date was a week later due to a lack of an anaesthetist!

The same male nurse was supposed to call the patient if there was no earlier availability. He never bothered, even though this was a worrying time for the patient.

The same male nurse also botched the patient's blood test on Monday 13 November. It had to be repeated on Thursday 16 November.

After a week of waiting, the patient came for a bone marrow biopsy on Thursday 16 November and was told that he could not have it done because he had a breakfast. No one told him that he could not eat. Again, the next available date for this important procedure was only 4 days later, on Monday 20 November.

He also had to spend over 20 minutes on the phone to BUPA because the hospital had not sent the paperwork required by the insurance company. Considering how fragile and unwell the patient was, the incompetence and lack of empathy is shocking.

Letters are also being sent to the previous employer instead of the current one , even though the patient has notified the change of employer.

As unbelievable as the list of serious problems is, it does not end there. On Saturday 18 November, the patient did not receive his breakfast. When he asked, he was told it was because of his upcoming surgery. When he enquired, he was told that it was due to his upcoming procedure. He did not have any that day. This means that there was incorrect information in his record.

Continuing with the catering theme, the patient was served a burger with raw salad on Sunday evening, even though he had been declared neutropenic on Saturday morning. When he !!!! realised this, he returned the burger and was told that no one had put his neutropenic status on his profile!

Eventually he had to request special socks that he remembered he had worn the last time he was admitted.

I might add from my own experience that it would be nice if staff knocked before entering the room, and knowing how to take the temperature correctly would also be great.

The list goes on and on (bookings for appointments made without informing the patient, complaints department not knowing the correct procedures,...) but the most recent addition is a refund. We had to pay £10,025 for a stem cell transplant in late January. The clinic requested the payment too late and BUPA was initially reluctant to pay for the procedure, so we had to cover the cost. Even though we got the BUPA pre-approval in late January, the finance department in the Clinic was either not responding to emails from us and from BUPA or lying about supplying the requested invoice to them. It has been going on for 6 weeks, while the patient (my husband) is in a life and death situation. It is time somebody gave a good look at what is happening with this place.

When we used it 6 years ago, it was absolutely wonderful. If we knew how terrible it is now, we would have avoided it.

My wife's surgeon is based from the London Clinic. The first procedure that she had at the Clinic entailed a four nights stay from the 10th December 2022 at a cost of £3,226 per night. Unfortunately my wife requires another operation which will entail a one night stay. The quote to stay, is now £7,635. Bear in mind that the aftercare required is the same, so no additional requirements. We have challenged and the London Clinic has offered for one night a charge of £6,875. As a retired couple we cannot afford to pay more than double for one night and although we have been very happy with our surgeon we are exploring all other avenues as we don't want to take on a loan to make up the shortfall that we will have. When we have gone back to the self pay team they offer no justifiable reasons, they are very high handed and have shown themselves to be only interested in how much money they can generate from our need to resolve pressing medical issues which are badly impairing my wife's quality of life. The perception is they see themselves as having us over a barrel and therefore able to extort the 'ransom' that they have decided they want to charge. Finally and ironically the London Clinic pride themselves on their charitable status.
I want to make it clear that although a bit dowdy the London Clinic itself is clean and the staff were excellent which is at odds with the attitude that we have encountered with the self pay team

UPDATE - Contacted the head of experience team and they were very good. Sympathetic and did manage to reduce costs of staying to just under £6K. The self pay team however continued to make mistakes in quotations. We felt OK to go ahead with the surgery and the nurses and staff were excellent. It is a shame that the self pay team manage to get things wrong as all other staff were faultless. Suggest that the London Clinic really look into further training and reviewing the practices of the self pay team. I have updated review from one star to three stars would have been even better but for the administration

Give you more medication than necessary - in my case, a month’s worth of addictive painkillers vs just enough for the recommended time period. Then their unresponsive credit control dept send me a bill for it, saying that it’s not covered by health insurance. They don’t mention anything at the time of issuing the meds. Money making racket. Such a shame as the medical staff are great.

Didn't even go to this clinic, went to harley street to see an ENT doctor and now 2 years later they decide to hit me with a bunch of bills.. for what? I paid for my procedure I had in full in cash on the day with a receipt. Spoke to Mr manwareings secretary which confirms everything was paid in full. Now I'm getting letters through my door 2 years later claiming I owe them more than the procedure ever did in the 1st place and then trying to re charge me? I'm not having it at all. From 2nd Jan 2022

The consultant Mr Waterhouse and his team were superb, very kind and caring, as were the London Clinic staff encountered at the pre tests and assessment, and during my one night stay.
However, given the high cost of the clinic, I was disappointed with two aspects. The menu looked very tempting, but dinner arrived barely warm. I was in the Duchess of Devonshire wing so perhaps the food had travelled a long way. As it had taken longer than an hour to arrive, and I wanted to sleep, I couldn't face a repeat experience. But it did mean I avoided anything hot from the breakfast menu.
I asked twice about the high temperature in my room. Nurses said they used to be able to control it via ipads but they don't any longer. Instead you press the temperature button up or down and hope for the best. It didn't work. I was uncomfortably hot for most of my stay.

Like other bad reviews before mine, my experience is similar with this so called "private" clinic. A lazy, dishonest consultant who promises one thing, then never follows up. Two months and a half later, several emails and a complaint, he backtracks and makes up fanciful lies to cover his a**e. Refuses to refund money for doing nothing. Clinic provides telephone numbers that are unrecognised. Secretary lures you into making appointment, then as soon as they have your money, it is lie after lie. The whole clinic is an utter waste of time and dishonest, they expect patients to be morons without any medical understanding. A so called "professor" Julia Wendon then tries to defend the consultant with pathetic arguments that won't cut it. Avoid!
Dodgy, dishonest and lazy, like a 3rd world country greedy practice.
My consultant was male with too many long surnames that are exhausting to write.

Update: in response to the copy and paste reply below my review: "equitable, robust and comprehensive" are overrated terms that are not fit for purpose when stated by you. Please, your "process" is anything but those. Avoid this monkey business!!

Surgical experience floor 5 15-19 dec 23: I picked this hospital solely for the doctor. I found the majority of nurses to be friendly and above average, although they seem short-staffed. The facility is quite outdated by many decades. The food is good quality (except sunday night) and the room service staff are really top notch. I have only good things to say about my dr. I had a couple of less than good experiences- one waking up in recovery Thiago was quite brusque and he kept sighing and huffing and puffing it was not a pleasant type of person to wake up to I think there should be more attention paid to how someone wakes up. Although the nurses were quite good overall (although again,l seemed understaffed) we had quite an upsetting experience upon departing. I was very clear that I had booked a carer (paid hourly) to collect me at 11, I checked this was ok and let them know the day before and the morning of and was told it was fine. There were delays where no real explanation could be given, I can only put it down to disorganization with regards to filling my medication. While these things can happen at no point was I told it would add an extra hour (was told they'd be right back at 10am) The problem was the carer had another appt to get to and also it's not fair to make me pay her to wait whilst not even providing accurate updates what was happening. It then had a knock on effect of the carer not being able to properly set me up in my house which was quite detrimental to me. I really think being respecful of someone's time when they have been clear upfront is not such a hard thing. Anyway, It's not that these things can't happen, it is how standoffish the nursing staff became after as a result I think to make someone wait without explanation when you are aware they don't have the luxury and then be offended that they are stressed about this is a bit crazy. I was never rude or anything I simply followed up several times by pressing the nurse buzzer, and this was too much for them it seems. Really put an unpleasant spin on my stay there. It's like they had no concept of patient well-being beyond their care.

Saw a consultant in November, at the time she diagnosed me and offered medication which I said I would like to think about.
Two weeks later I contacted her to say I had a relapse and was in pain and discomfort, didn't hear back. Two weeks, 4 emails and 2 calls later, I finally heard from her, only for her to backtrack and not address any of my concerns. This was a week before Christmas. Blasé, negligent and lazy. As a clinician myself, I could never imagine leaving a patient in pain. Low standards of care. Avoid.

Disappointing and lacklustre service.
The excellent medical care is overshadowed by the dreadful administration facilities.
The problems exist from the weird invoice system so you pay a large amount of money to each department separately which prompts the bank to block it.
I paid my invoices before my admission.
I stayed an extra day and received a new invoice which wasnt itemized. I raised a complaint about the standard of the room.
I had a bath but no shower and yet was charged the same as other patients who had a wet room. The sink had a rusted sink plunger.
The only choice was to have a strip wash which is poor considering the room costs over £1000 per night!
Three weeks later I am still waiting for the bill relating for the extra day. When I received it is an amalgamation of all bills ( previosly paid) plus a charge for non payment despite the fact it was under Stage 1 complaint!
The debt collectors are triggered unless you specifically open a complaint.
Other patients whose bills are settled by insurance receive intimidating letters from debt collectors.
This urgently needs to be investigated particularly as patients are recovering from major surgery and do not need increased stress and worry.
This is bullying behaviour and urgent steps should be taken to provide a proper accounting system and good liaison between the hospital and the patient.

I arrived well in time for my mri appointment. Over 30 minutes later I was told they were running 15-20 minutes late. When the radiographer called me to get changed she told me that the patient before me had arrived late.
It is now 40 minutes after my appointment time and I am still waiting.
I have been here 1 hour 10 minutes because they make you arrive 30 minutes before.

I had surgery 3 weeks ago. Everything was perfect. See my previous review. I am now back again with my partner as he also has had surgery. I am reviewing the clinic this time as a companion to my partner. It started with Mr Adamo's secretary sorting out the companion bed and Melissa, an administrator at Tonic, completing the process. There is a cost for the companion bed but well worth the price. We arrived very early and from the start were treated with the utmost respect. A very kind man took us to my partner's room and helped carry our bags. I had requested a companion bed and was looked after so well. The standard of care and professionalism was second to none. Better than a 5 star hotel! The room service was amazing. There is a menu in the room and you just call room service and a short time after your order arrives. Having had surgery 3 weeks previously, the menu can be adapted to any dietary requirements, I was able to have small servings and to take as long as required to eat it. The food and drink was amazing with added care and attention to every dish. All the staff were wonderful. I would especially like to mention Loreta who was an amazingly sweet and kind lady, who went above and beyond, she was part of the room service team. All the staff I dealt with were wonderfully kind and professional. They all work incredibly hard. Early evening a very kind man came and put the companion bed together and made the bed with beautiful fresh bedding. The rooms are big enough to fit the bed in without feeling squashed up. Room service is available from 7am for breakfast and other meals from 11.30am-20.30pm including drinks. I can not express enough how brilliant everything was and highly recommend anyone to use this service.

I had a knee surgery at the London clinic. All the staff have been amazing looking after me.

The room was a little old fashioned. They had a bath and with my knee surgery there was no way that I was able to have a shower.

My surgeon Dr Deppu Sethi was excellent. Helped repair my very damaged knee and made me feel at ease.

My physio Ben was also great helped me set up my knee brace, gave me extra tips for the how to do my exercises and also walk and climb the stairs.

I decided to pay privately via The London Clinic as the NHS seemed slow and unresponsive. The London is by far a worse experience and of course at a financial cost too. The Clinic consultants and booking team do not seem to know each other or what the departments do and what treatment is offered. This had led to me having ill-informed bookings with wasted time and costs to myself. This includes having a procedure cancelled the day before because the booking staff didn't know that the procedure isn't ever performed at The London Clinic. I found this to be a shocking shambles and disappointing.

The secretary for one of the consultants, Dr Robin Chatterjee, admitted that he doesn't consider himself to be a London Clinic consultant (despite him advertised on their website) and only uses rooms and gets patient leads from them. So he will not collaborate and team work with colleagues at The London Clinic and wants to charge £350 for a 10 minute appointment instead of reading the notes from the same £350 appointment I've already had and paid for with another consultant at the same clinic.

Further, The London Clinic advertises treatments on their website that they don't actually perform. Their 'consultants' (room users?) perform them at other clinics. So you think you're going to The London Clinic - but you could be going anywhere and you're not told this upfront (and maybe only the day before your scheduled procedure).

In sum, poor communication and product knowledge among admin staff. And no collaborative team working for joined up patient care between consultants. Everyone seems to work in isolation and for themselves rather than coming together for the care of patients.

REPLY TO RESPONSE

I had already gotten in touch with you by the email you mentioned and so I'm sure you're already aware of this case. I had a 'cut and paste' reply from you by email saying that I had to wait 20 working days for an investigation. I would like my money refunded and some kind of compensation for my wasted time so that I can go elsewhere for my treatment.

A great experience during a Nursing placement. I have learnt about high quality standards of patient care with experienced Registered Nurses. I saw 99.99% patients amazed by their empathetic care and treatment received. International clients coming back for treatments been grateful to have all the support needed and more. Nurses commitment and compassion can really make a difference in patient life.

The in patient care is second to none but the admin has room for improvement.

I am not usually one to leave reviews but on this occasion I just had to make an exception! The Head Chef Paul O Brien at the London Clinic what what a wonderful man!
I have terminal cancer and recently been admitted at the Clinic for quite sometime.
I was really worried about the food situation. The food menu at the clinic is truly amazing but for me there’s a lot of things that need to be altered and tweaked due to my digestive system not working properly.
Paul was truly exceptional and accommodated every request.
He didn’t just tweak the menu, he went above and beyond to make sure I actually ate as it is so important that I do. He made sure my diet was followed and balanced, full of protein which I really struggle to eat usually and low fat as I had a severe chyle leak. Paul also made me delicious lemon and ginger tea which was a god send post chemotherapy as water was making me feel really sick.
I honestly couldn’t wish for better, five stars is not enough! Thank you Paul I am forever grateful for everything you did for me and all the time, heart and effort that went into every single dish, snack and juice.
Paul filled me with ease and I know if I ever end up being admitted again (which is very likely given my condition) I don’t have to worry about anything at all as I am in best hands!

Thank you again Paul
You are truly exceptional!

Sandra

I was treated with great respect and kindness, particularly from the amazing kitchen team who went above and beyond to make the best chicken consomme, which is all I felt like eating. I would have loved to try some of the other delicious things on the menu. Freshly made tea and coffee turned up quickly on request. That with the efficient nursing and attentive consultants made for the best week possible

Dr Darius Armstrong-James is a disgrace to the medical profession. what a charlatan! i won't go into full details but he does not listen, does not communicate at all respectfully and tried to prescribe a very expensive, very damaging and completely unnecessary antibiotic. when i questioned his diagnosis he went silent and wanted more money before answering. i have since found out it was a completely unnecessary prescription and a much cheaper, safer and simpler option is widely used instead. i strongly suspect he is incentivised financially by a pharmaceutical company to push their products. avoid at all costs!