Hematoma from blood draw

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the negligent treatment and subsequent injury I sustained during a blood draw at your Umhlanga branch on 15 April 2026. During the procedure, the attending nurse experienced difficulty filling the vials. Despite my repeated reports of significant pain, the nurse continued to manipulate and push the needle deeper into my left hand. This continued through six full vials. When the seventh vial was only halfway full, she abruptly stopped, citing my "complaining" as the reason, and proceeded to draw the remaining blood from my other hand. As a result of this encounter, I have suffered the following: Physical Injury: I am experiencing severe pain radiating from my mid-hand to my fingers. The site is currently swollen and exhibits significant "blueish-reddish" discoloration. Professional Impact: The pain was so intense I was unable to return to work following the appointment. As a professional who uses a laptop throughout the day, this injury is currently hindering my ability to perform my daily duties. Negligent Conduct: I overheard the nurse asking a colleague if she could go on break immediately after my draw. It appeared her desire to finish quickly took precedence over patient safety and standard procedural care. Furthermore, her suggestion that the pain was due to "pregnancy or fasting" is dismissive and medically irrelevant to the trauma caused by poor needle manipulation. I spoke to one of the managers today, who confirmed the injury is a hematoma and offered to send a cream. While I appreciate the apology, a simple "sorry" is insufficient given the level of pain and the impact on my work life. This experience is far below the standard of care expected from a leading private institution like Lancet. I request that this matter be formally investigated and that a record of this incident be placed in the staff member’s file. I am also seeking a formal response outlining the steps Lancet will take to ensure no other patient is subjected to this level of discomfort and negligence. I have already shared photographic evidence of the injury with the manager and am prepared to escalate this matter further if it is not resolved satisfactorily.