There are quite a number of local doctors:

Dr Dhital at The Health Centre in Hurst Road (020 85205571), Dr Ivbijaro at 354-358 Forest Road (020 85206060), Dr Malhopra at 148 Palmerston Road (020 85203059), Dr Chandra at 266-268 Forest Road (020 85203556), Dr Shantir at 91 Palmerston Road (020 85207115) Dr Sheikh and Dr Ahmed at 48 Queens Road (020 85202625), Dr Cooney at 12-14 Addison Road (020 85204708), Dr Bailey at 107 Shernhall Street (020 85205138), Dr Siddiqui at 41 Carisbrooke Road (020 85208284), Dr Nirmal, Dr Shah and Dr Whiteford at The Grove Surgery at 103-105 Grove Road (020 85212221), Dr Zubair at the Forest Surgery at 2 MacDonald Road (0870 417 3995), The Parkhouse Surgery at Cavendish Road, (020 85231401), Dr Uduku at the Brunner Medical Centre at 2 Brunner Road (020 85204748), Dr Aratsu, Dr John and Dr Akingbala at The Firs, Stephenson Road, (0208 520 9286), Dr Ray and Dr Chatterjee at Fulbourne Road (0208 5276373), Dr Kawar at the St James Street Health Centre, 47 St James's Street (0208 5216138). I expect there are more.

Are any of them any good? Its hard to tell. You only really hear about people getting struck off, not quietly going about their daily business competently and well.

A recent survey does suggest an unusual level of dissatisfaction locally with our GPs. Their surgeries were rated as the dirtiest in the country, while their receptionists came out as the fourth worst with a score of 69.47 out of 100 for courtesy. Most patients did however think they were treated with respect and dignity by their doctors, giving a score of 92.58 out of 100. They also said doctors listened carefully to what they had to say (87.72 out of 100).

I myself am tempted to comment on my own GP who is on the list above, but honestly can't. In the last decade I have never seen him. That is not to say I have never been ill or gone along to his surgery (I agree about the receptionists: I once had to threaten to complain to my MP to get her to give me an appointment). Whenever I have had an appointment, he has not been there. Some exhausted locum GP registrar has always been working in his stead.