EXP Medical & Dental Centre Constantia

Unprofessional and Unsympathetic Patient Care

I am extremely disappointed with the treatment I received at EXP Constancia Medical Centre. I visited the practice for severe migraines after experiencing an attack so serious that I had to pull over while driving because I became confused and could not continue driving safely. Someone had to come and fetch me. Instead of being met with empathy and understanding, I felt judged and dismissed throughout my consultation. The doctor questioned why I had not used the medication from my previous prescription. There are many reasons why patients may not be able to follow through with treatment, including financial constraints, and I did not feel comfortable discussing my personal circumstances. Rather than approaching the conversation with compassion, I felt spoken to in a rude and dismissive manner. I also requested to be booked off for the following day because of the severity of my symptoms. This was refused, as the doctor insisted the medication would work. While I understand that doctors use their clinical judgment when issuing sick notes, I expected my concerns to be taken seriously and communicated with respect. After the consultation, we returned to reception where the receptionist informed us that my sick note had only been issued for 23 July. It should have covered 22 and 23 July, as I had been unwell on both days. We respectfully knocked on the doctor’s door to have this corrected. My father knocked before entering and even asked whether he should wait outside until she was ready. Instead of responding professionally, the doctor immediately confronted him, asking why he had “just barged in.” When my father politely offered to step back outside and wait, she rep**** that he was already in the room, so he could stay. The entire interaction felt unnecessarily confrontational and disrespectful. Although she eventually realised the sick note had been completed incorrectly and amended it to include both dates, the way the situation was handled was completely unprofessional. At no point was there an apology for the mistake or for the manner in which we were spoken to. What upset me further was the way both my father and I were spoken to. I was also instructed to return for blood tests before work the following morning. When I explained that I start work at 6:30 a.m., I was simply told to come on Saturday instead. The consultation felt inflexible and centred on the doctor’s convenience rather than my circumstances as a patient. My concern is not only with the medical decisions that were made, but with the lack of compassion, respect, and professionalism shown throughout the consultation. Patients deserve to feel heard, treated with dignity, and shown empathy, especially when they are seeking help after a frightening medical episode. Unfortunately, that was not my experience, and I hope this feedback encourages the practice to improve the way patients are treated.