⭐ 1/5 – Extremely Poor Experience and Service

My experience at Augustine’s Medical Centre today was extremely disappointing and, quite frankly, unacceptable for a medical facility. The location and parking situation are very poorly managed. There is inadequate parking for patients, and vehicles end up obstructing one another as well as inconveniencing residents in the area. Situated right by a busy traffic light intersection. This creates unnecessary frustration before patients even enter the facility. What concerned me even more was the lack of basic patient assessment. I accompanied my tenant, who is diabetic and suffering from sores, as well as my father and mother-in-law. Despite being the second and third patients there at approximately 08:30, their blood pressure and blood sugar levels were not checked. For a diabetic patient presenting with sores, I would expect basic vital checks to be taken as part of responsible patient care. We were then told that the doctor would only arrive at around 10:00, despite patients already waiting from approximately 08:30. If a doctor is only expected later, patients should be informed upfront rather than left waiting without proper communication. The pricing also needs serious reconsideration. If a patient requires only an injection costing approximately R50, they are still charged the full R150 consultation fee. On top of that, patients are charged R5 for a mask. These charges should be clearly explained to patients before they receive the service. Another issue was the air conditioning. A patient complained that the air conditioner was blowing directly onto them at a high level and was making them uncomfortable. The response was that it could not be reduced or switched off because of air circulation. Patient comfort should not simply be dismissed. There should be a reasonable solution that allows proper ventilation without unnecessarily exposing patients to a strong stream of cold air. Overall, this was a very poor experience from start to finish. The combination of inadequate parking, long waiting times, poor communication, failure to perform basic vital checks, questionable additional charges and poor attention to patient comfort left a very negative impression. For a medical centre, patient care and basic professionalism should be non-negotiable. Overall rating: 1/5. I sincerely hope management reads this review and takes the necessary steps to improve the standard of service and patient care.