Albion Street Surgery

I chose this doctors simply because of it’s close proximity to my previous flat and have never found myself moving on. Over the 3 – 4 years I’ve been in Brighton I have actually found myself there a fair bit, for routine appointments or more serious things, and I’ve had a range of experiences during my time there.
The surgery itself is well laid out, comfortable and clean. The reception staff are helpful and generally pleasant, despite being very busy with the constantly ringing phones. There is an upstairs and downstairs waiting area, both of which are comfy enough. As you come into the surgery, you can check yourself in for your pre-​booked appointment on the machine on the wall (under the stairs). This usually functions fine and is a smooth and easy way of letting the doctor or nurse know you’re there. It also directs you to which seating area you should be waiting in, either upstairs or downstairs, so there’s no confusion.
The nurses I’ve seen here have all been wonderful. Very nice, very patient and not patronising at all. The doctors, on the other hand, are a bit of a mixed bag. I’ve seen a few that are a little abrupt and slightly condescending. I understand that they must have a lot of time wasters and hypochondriacs coming in (as with any doctors surgery) but it’s never nice to be made to feel foolish for booking an appointment.
That being said, I was once really rather ill here and I found myself getting a taxi straight from the surgery to A and E. On this visit, the staff (including the doctor) were all very attentive and not patronising in the slightest (perhaps because of my serious condition). They got me water and sent me with a handwritten letter explaining what was wrong — all very kind and professional. Since this incident I have always been treated very well in here, again perhaps because they can see from my files that I’m worth taking seriously.
In terms of booking appointments, this is relatively straight-​forward to do over the phone and there are usually slot available pretty quickly, especially if you express that it’s an urgent thing. The appointments are also pretty on time which, as anyone who’s ever been to a doctors surgery knows, can be a bit of a rarity!
All in all, I like this practice. I might look at others closer to my new flat, yes, but for now, I am more than happy to stick with Albion Street Surgery. They may not be the most perfect doctors surgery in the world, but they’re certainly not the worst and I’d say they were doing a pretty good job of things.

This extremely nice surgery is handily placed for students from Brighton University on a road parallel to Old Steine. You could probably see it from one of the studio spaces. I have never had problems here and the system has always been very helpful in times of need. Would definitely recommend if you live in the vicinity. Otherwise, you can apparently now choose the surgery you most desire, so if you’re well enough, go to this one.