Extremely Disappointed in Lack of Communication and Urgency

We consulted Dr Devchand as a private patient because my father does not have medical aid and his neurological symptoms were escalating rapidly. We were seeking urgent assistance to obtain a diagnosis and initiate treatment as soon as possible.

At the consultation, Dr Devchand provided a diagnosis and assured us that a report would be completed by the end of that same week. She also undertook to liaise with his government doctors to arrange an MRI and begin treatment urgently.

Unfortunately, this did not happen.

For almost four weeks, we phoned and emailed nearly daily to follow up. Each time, the receptionist informed us that Dr Devchand was doing ward rounds, not in the office, or attending to other patients. There was absolutely no direct communication from Dr Devchand during this time — no update, no explanation for the delay, and no attempt to manage expectations.

Meanwhile, my father’s condition continued to deteriorate. We incurred substantial financial costs keeping him in a frail care facility close to the hospital in anticipation of treatment that we were told would start imminently.

After four weeks — and only after we indicated that we would escalate the matter to the HPCSA — we finally received the report. The report appeared unprofessional and even contained a spelling error in my father’s name.

We are extremely disappointed in the level of care, communication, and professionalism shown. In cases involving serious neurological conditions, urgency and communication are critical. Sadly, this experience did not inspire trust, and we would not feel comfortable continuing under Dr Devchand’s care.