PATHETIC SERVICE : Kingsbury life hospital emergency Cape Town

On Sunday the 14th august I went into Kingsbury emergency unit with my husband and 2 year old baby.

We had previously taken her to the doctor on Thursday the 11th august as she had hives all over her body. The dr told us it was an allergic reaction and gave us medication to take for 4 days. By Sunday the 14th the allergic reaction was getting worse and we called the dr who advised us to go to Kingsbury emergency unit and have them give her a shot.

I signed in all my details including baby, it took about 5min for the nurse to call us in and asked us what was wrong. I explained everything and she checked my daughters temperature and weight while taking notes. She said she was going to pass this on to the dr.

5min later we were called in to come see the dr and to undress her. The dr walked in and introduced himself. I asked him if I had to explain again what was going on as I had already explained this to the nurse to which he answered yes. He stood quite a distance from her and told me he would like to take pictures. I explained what was given and he left. As he walked out I asked if I should dress her and he said yes and walked out.

I sat waiting for 30min with no one coming to check or give me feedback as to what was going on. My mother (her caretaker) asked to enter the room and to speak to the dr as she spoke to the previous dr who advised us to come to the emergency and they refused to let her in. I eventually walked out after waiting another 15min as my baby was getting restless. I walked past the dr on my way out who smiled and was standing at his pc and told him I will be waiting in the waiting room as my child was getting restless. He just nodded.

We waited 15min in the waiting room and my husband eventually went in to see the dr who was on the phone with someone talking about another patient who was inside, once he saw my husband he asked about my baby’s condition as a by the way question. My husband told him we were very concerned and asked if he could help, he responded that he can only give the same meds that was prescribed by the previous dr, to which my husband said it was not working that’s why we were there and the previous dr suggested she get and injection which was stronger then the allergy meds. He told my husband “we are all ticking time bombs “ and handed him a prescription for allergy meds and said we need to go see our paediatrician the next day.

As we walked out I asked the front desk if I needed to pay and they said it was fine.

Today I got sent a bill for R683,70 from Kingsbury emergency unit.

THEY DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND WOULD OF HAD US WAITING IF MY HUSBAND DID NOT ENQUIRE WITH THEM AFTER WAITING SO LONG.

This is disgusting for a private hospital. I would of expected much more from them. They did not help us at all and I’m being charged R683,70 FOR A SCRIPT THAT WE HAD TO ASK FOR!!