"Urgent Care + Out of hours GP - Fantastic!"

10th January 2019 - Recently managed to contract an infected finger that was highly swollen and incredibly painful. After an initial visitation to my local GP in the morning I contacted the 111 service for further help as the pain got worse. I was swiftly contacted by the out of hours GP within an hour of 111 contact and then after the phone call consultation I was booked for an appointment 20 minutes after the consultation where the appointment was made for within an hour - no waiting!

Upon arrival all staff within the facility were welcoming and friendly. After a short wait (Nothing compared to A&E) I was seen by the GP who initially referred me to Barnet A&E for treatment. However, shortly after leaving I received a phone call from reception suggesting that maybe their nurse could perform the procedure. It appears that the receptionist went out of her way to enquire about me getting treated at QE2 instead of simply passing me off on my way out and allowing me to travel and wait considerable hours at the nearest A&E for treatment especially considering the treatment needed didn't necessarily warrant A&E levels of emergency.

After a brief consultation the nurse decided that he could go ahead with the procedure. The nurse that performed the procedure was one of the nicest and reassuring members of NHS staff that I have encountered, the procedure was relatively painless and performed swiftly - within an hour of leaving the pain was virtually gone compared to the previous 4 days of agony.

The department building also is a much nicer place to be compared to other sites such as Barnet A&E. The New QE2 is vibrant, modern and even features a TV to help pass the time. It should be noted though that "The New QE2" is not an equivalent to A&E and should not be treated as such when it comes to your injury.

Overall I found this facility and its staff to be a testament to the quality of the NHS and would definitely recommend a visit if your circumstances warrant it.