EXTREMELY DISSAPPOINTING AND DISTRESSING EXPERIENCE AT NETCARE ALBERTON HOSPITAL CASUALTY DEPARTMENT

Extremely Disappointing and Distressing Experience at Netcare Alberton Hospital Casualty Department

Our experience with Netcare Alberton Hospital’s casualty department was unacceptable, particularly when it involved our sick three month old baby girl.

On 8 October 2026, we took our three month old daughter to Netcare Alberton Hospital’s casualty department because she was unwell. We were assisted promptly at triage and when opening her file. Unfortunately, that was where the good service ended.

After entering the waiting area, we waited almost three hours for a doctor to attend to our sick baby. There appeared to be very little urgency or concern about her condition. It was only after we indicated that we were considering leaving for another hospital that a doctor arrived, within approximately 10 minutes.

The doctor examined our daughter and advised that he needed to consult a paediatrician. After another lengthy wait, we were informed that the paediatrician recommended admission and that blood tests and an IV drip were required.

When two nursing sisters eventually attended to her, they took blood and attempted to insert the drip. One of the sisters then brought our daughter to the door and showed me her arm, which had developed small red, blood-like dots under the skin. I was concerned and wanted to know what was happening.

The sister said she would take our daughter to the doctor to check whether she was having an allergic reaction. I asked that the doctor come to us instead. When I insisted that I wanted to accompany my baby, the sister refused and walked away with my three month old daughter without allowing me to go with them. As a parent, being prevented from accompanying your tiny, sick baby while not knowing exactly where she is being taken is an incredibly distressing experience.

The sister eventually returned and told us that the doctor had said it was not an allergic reaction.

We were then left waiting again. Eventually, we were informed that the hospital did not have an available bed and that an ambulance would have to transfer our daughter to another hospital.

What makes this even more concerning is the delay in connecting her IV drip. Approximately 1 hour and 47 minutes after the blood tests and drip procedure had been completed, we were still waiting, and the drip had not yet been connected. It was only when the ambulance arrived that a sister came to connect it.

We arrived at approximately 20:00, and the ambulance arrived at 01:10 the following morning. That is more than five hours spent in casualty with our sick three month old baby, followed by a transfer to another hospital because no bed was available.

By the time we arrived at the receiving hospital, our daughter was already dehydrated, and the drip had not been inserted successfully. The receiving hospital had to insert a new drip, meaning we had to endure the distress of hearing our baby scream while she underwent the procedure all over again.

How can a private hospital experience leave parents feeling so helpless, uninformed and worried about their baby's care? We understand that hospitals can become busy and that beds may not always be available. However, that does not excuse the lack of urgency we experienced, the prolonged delays, the poor communication or the distress caused to our family.

The experience did not end there.

While our daughter was still admitted at the other hospital, approximately three days later, Netcare Alberton Hospital contacted me to inform me that our medical savings had been exhausted and that there was an outstanding amount to pay. I was then informed that we were liable for the costs because our daughter had only been admitted at the other hospital.

This is extremely frustrating. We did not choose to take our daughter elsewhere because we simply preferred another hospital. We were told that Netcare Alberton Hospital had no bed available and that an ambulance would have to transfer her. We had already spent hours waiting for care and were then transferred elsewhere because the hospital could not accommodate her.

Why should we be held responsible for the financial consequences of a transfer that became necessary because the hospital had no available bed?We deserve a clear explanation of the charges, what services we are being billed for, and why we are being held liable under these circumstances.

This experience has left us deeply disappointed and shaken. When parents take a three month old baby to a private hospital, they expect appropriate medical attention, timely treatment, compassionate nursing care and clear communication. We did not feel that these expectations were met.

I would like Netcare Alberton Hospital to investigate the events of that evening, explain the delays in treatment and the handling of our daughter, and provide a proper written explanation of the billing dispute.

Our family will not be returning to Netcare Alberton Hospital’s casualty department after this experience. No parent should have to go through what we experienced while seeking medical care for their baby.