DISSAPOINTING SERVICE

I am so disappointed with the service I received from Discovery Health, disappointed is even polite for how I was treated.

My primary doctor wasn't not opened today and I had my sick daughter with me in the car, tried to get the nearest doctor (within the Discovery Network) and I got one.

The receptionist followed the process and advised they are unable to assist as they are not my primary doctor, gave me their details and asked that I call Discovery for further assistance.

Called Discovery, spoke to the consultant and indeed she confirmed what the receptionist advised. I then ask, so seeing that I am alone in the car with my sick Doctor and I am literally staring at one of your Doctors within your Network, my daughter will be denied medical care and she said that is the process and to change my primary Doctor will ONLY be effective from 01 March 2024.

Basically I should see what to do over medical services I without fail pay monthly and my daughter today couldn't get medical attention because one of the Network Doctors is not my primary Doctor.

I asked to speak to a Supervisor and Jayden was his name (From Durban) he said. He then in simple form told me that if it was an emergency then they have emergency facilities that could admit my daughter to casualty, shocked I asked so, if my "primary doctor" God forbid gets into an emergency of some sort then I have to wait for him to get assisted? If I am outside my province and something happens to me or my daughter then I might as well forget getting medical attention because I am "dying yet" and drive all the way back to my province.

"Unfortunately that's how the system is", emotional, I see my daughter losing her energy in the car and I ask so what do I do now.

Then he explains about Unjani Nurses and Clicks, that I can visit. I ask so don't I need to make an appointment then he says they will have to follow the process of each facility, I say OK then there's not much I can do.

I then give him the medical practice details where I was and he asks so which area are you closest to. I say Wynberg, then I give him a moment.

He then provides me with a list of Clicks stores closer to the area and I say to him those are not even close to where I am, he then says I am trying to help, I said you expect me to think while I have a sick daughter next to me.

I say what about the unjani nurses, he mentions one in Bramley View and I confirmed that is close, he asked for me to give him a moment so he can check their availability for me.

He checks, and says you don't have to make an appointment, you just need to go there, gives me an address: 23 Orchard Road, Bramley

I drove there with my daughter, when I got there.. It is a ***** place with a big gate with NOTHING!!!

I got so emotional and couldn't even hide it from my daughter and started crying as at that point I felt so helpless as a mother.

I then tried to Google Unjani Clinic, only to find that their facility was right next to the Doctor I was at in Wynberg.

I drove back and called them, and I finally arrived. May I please say that compared to the Medical Doctor I was desperately asking Discovery to approve to where I was - completely different (not to offend anyone) but I might as well should use my local Clinic.

It's the fact that my employer is with Discovery at this hour that I haven't canceled.

Today was the worst day of my life and we take these services mostly as single moms so we can get assisted because it's not easy, I was left with NO OPTIONS But to take it or leave it.

I can not even describe how I am feeling but it's very disappointing what I had to endure for a service that my employer and myself pay without fail monthly but to be treated like how I was treated (like trash) today is sad and disappointing.