Nobody likes going to the hospital, even if you're just there to visit. The Bristol Royal Infirmary…read moredoesn't look to inviting from the outside, it resembles more of a street-long block of offices. However, inside is an entirely different story. It is so bright and cheerful! You don't quite forget you're in a hospital, but the atmosphere is very calm and positive that you could be in a town hall. The BRI is closely linked to the University of Bristol and is a teaching hospital so you may have to be a little patient with the nurses and doctors. However, everyone s so professional, efficient and always smiling that you know you're in safe and capable hands.

I came in here to get an X ray on my knee and it took no time at all, i was in and out in under an…read morehour. The people that helped me were all very nice. However i haven't been in there on a saturday night when i imagine it is a different story. My brother came in here to look after a mate who had broken his leg on just such a Saturday night. Whilst he was waiting, he asked what the most amusing injury they had had anyone come in for. The nurse told him a story about some guy who came in with a light bulb stuck in his mouth; he had been dared to see if he could get it both in and out, but once it was in it got stuck. About an hour after they had sorted him out another guy came in with the same 'problem'. It was the taxi driver who had driven light bulb no.1 to the hospital; when he got off his shift he went home and gave it a go himself! I suppose there are some perks to working a Saturday night.

The Fishponds Primary Care Centre has three businesses in one - the Fishponds Family Practice which…read morehas Dr Anstey and Partners (on the left as you walk in), the Beechwood Medical Practice (on the right as you walk in) and also a Primary Care centre (to the right in front of you as you walk in) which handles things like pregnant ladies, jabs and they have a chiropodist as well. I am registered with the Fishponds Family Practice, and they are a very good GP set up. With several doctors on at once, I don't mind seeing different doctors each time but it can be arranged to see the same doctor every time if you prefer. It is easier to get an appointment online - you have to register with the practice and apply for an online account which can take a few weeks, but once up and running it is simple - you can even book an appointment over the week which you can't do by phone.

I've been part of Fishponds Family practice for around seven years now and have used their services…read morethrough the birth of my first son. I have always found the staff to be really friendly and helpful and the service I have received has been of a high standard as I would expect from the NHS. The midwife I had during my pregnancy was fantastic and always a call a way when I needed her. My only complaint about the service is you are unable to book doctors appointments in advance, so you have to ring up on the day of the appointment first thing and get whats available. This does have its benefits as you can nearly always guarantee a same day appointment or telephone consultation as long as you ring at 8am, however for less urgent requirements its hard to plan in advance during time off work. They also do late appointments up to 7pm which is really helpful.

This NHS walk in centre is a really friendly one. The nurses that you see, from the front desk up…read moreto the ones who chat to you about your health issues are simply so friendly and nice to you. It's location is pretty secluded, and unless you know where it is already, you wouldn't even know that there was an NHS centre right smack in the middle of town. A walk in centre to keep in mind if you ever feel ill and can't get a quick appointment with your GP.

Hurrah for the NHS! It's not perfect, but what is!? Just think you could be stuck in the US without…read morehealth insurance and without a job and fat. This walk-in centre is as close to a community clinic as we get in this country and I am proud to live somewhere that makes this kind of readily-available medical treatment accessible to all regardless of how much you earn and who you work for. Right that's my little rant over...for now...but this walk in centre was specifically brilliant for me in my first year of Uni, as like most students I didn't register with a doctor (I didn't even know where or how to do that) so for all those minor first year university student ailments (the plague and my chronic rhinotillexomania) I would have to visit the brilliant people here. Obviously I would recommend you register with a GP but it is a very handy place to know about if you are just moving to B-town (that's Bristol fool!).

Frendoc is a local out of hours doctors surgery located in Fishponds, Bristol. Frendoc provide…read morecover at a time when GP surgeries are closed mainly from 6.30pm to 8am everyday. They are also open on Bank Holidays and any other day that a GP may be closed. The building is conveniently located close to Fishponds and a major bus stop so can be used by many locals however their main service is operated via the telephone.

Sussex Place Surgery is a tiny doctor's squashed into the belly of a skinny house on a busy road…read more It's future is also under threat after the practice doctor retired and the NHS arranged for Frendoc to take over its interim contract. Patients are currently being asked if they mind being switched to other surgeries or would prefer a new GP be recruited to take on the practice. I really hope the latter is the case. Although the facilities are admittedly squashed, I have always found the practice to be well run and the staff friendly and discreet. Appointments are given promptly and each morning's open surgery is extremely well-run. And the practice nurse is extremely friendly. I found Dr Thompson a supportive and efficient GP when she was there and most of the GPs standing in have been good. The practice also arranges for prescriptions to be sent to certain local pharmacies to be picked up, and they always respond to answer phone messages promptly.

Hampton House Health centre is where you go when you're feeling poorly. The key to booking an…read moreappointment is to ring either first thing at 8.45 or at 2.00. Emergencies are handled differently and the centre offers a number of other services like Chlamydia screening, travel advice, blood tests and the like. The doctors are of course incredibly concerned for your health, but sometimes this verges on preaching; I have never been here without being asked, and then subsequently told off for my drink and smoking habits. However, they are consistently effective, treating any problem you may have. I would stress again the importance of booking appointments early to avoid being turned away.

On a street off the bottom of Whiteladies Road, Whiteladies Health Centre is an excellent doctors…read moresurgery. Instead of ringing up when unwell, making an appointment, having to wait a couple of days and getting better in the interim all the same, here you just come along and see a doctor when you need to - which seems pretty logical to me. The surgery is clean, tidy, and quite large. They've just installed a new automated call system, so when the doctors ready your name will come up on the screen and be called out in an (slightly robotic) automated voice, which is quite high tech. The doctors are consistently welcoming and will take their time to listen and deal with your ailment, which doesn't always happen at other surgeries I've been to. The reception staff are mostly friendly as well, though as the other reviews reiterate, it's a busy surgery so they might be a tad eager to get you sorted - there's an incredibly friendly American lady, though, who is constantly happy and always serves you with a smile. They operate a morning and afternoon open surgery, which means during the daytime you can see a doctor but that is reserved for emergencies only. The busiest days are usually Monday, and although at busy times you might have to wait a little while, the service is usually swift. I highly recommend this health centre.

Just off Whiteladies Road the Medical Centre has had a recent makeover. The waiting room has not…read morechanged really, there are still plenty of seats that are comfortable enough, but they now have screens, as well as the announcements, to show when it is you turn to see the doctor, interspersed with medical adverts and health advice. Hopefully they'll get my suggestions and start showing DVDs. I have only ever attended the 'drop-in' surgery, which I feel is a bit of a Catch-22; you can always see the doctor on the day, but it can take up to 2 hours and you are not guaranteed to see the doctor each time, or you have to wait up to 2 weeks if you make an appointment! The drop-in surgery can mean you feel your appointment is a little rushed. However, on my last visit this was not the case, unfortunately I did have quite a long wait, I arrived at the surgery just after 8.30 but was not seen until after 9.15. The Doctor I did see, and this was just a general enquiry, ran through different options with me, gave me lots of advice and I felt like I had had my questions answered rather than like I was being a nuisance or wasting their time. There are some lovely doctors here and if you go early enough to the drop in timeslots you shouldn't have to wait too long. A reliable surgery, but remember to take a book with you to help pass the time! Unless you like magazines with pictures of Diana's wedding.

The homeopathic hospital is based at the top of Cotham Hill, in a long old building with a…read morebeautiful indoor courtyard. I used to come here when I was slightly younger, and was very impressed with the service they gave. For a start, the actual premises felt very far removed from the traditional sense of a 'hospital'. Rather than white washed walls and bright lighting, the theme is all low lit and warm browny colours, which immediately puts you at ease. The service was also very good - I think they only had a handful of doctors that would see outpatients, but the doctor I saw was massively friendly and made a great impression on me - he had a grandfather vibe about him, and would always take the time to listen, and explain situations very calmly, concisely and efficiently. It's an NHS hospital which is quite surprising for homeopathy, but if that's the route you need to take for treatment then make the most of it; this is a really excellent hospital.

The Homeopathic Hospital in Bristol is situated nearby to the main hospitals, at the top of St…read moreMichael's Hill. It looks small from the outside but is quite an extensive building. I haven't even received treatment from here, instead making use of their beautiful herb garden in the summer. Even spending time here gives out the feeling of calm and healing, and you can visit for free. The great thing about this hospital is that it is part of the NHS and not private, so everyone can make use of what they have to offer. Definitely worth a try, even if you're sceptical.