Poor service at Parklands Hospital

I would like to inform you about the disappointing treatment we received at the hospital on Thursday the 3rd May 2018.

I brought my 19 weeks pregnant wife in at 6 am. She proceeded to casualty and provided the nurse with all relevant information while I spent an hour too long at reception opening up a file. The incompetence and lack of professionalism began here where I was informed that it does not matter that my wife is an emergency case, I have to wait in the same queue as those waiting for admission for planned procedures.

During this time, my stressed wife continued to wait patiently as the nurse informed her that a doctor can only see her once the file is open. While I write this disappointing review, I must admit that the nurse who dealt with my wife was polite. Eventually when the doctor on call came to see my wife, my wife provided her with the necessary details of her condition starting with the fact that she is 19 weeks pregnant. The name of her gynecologist was also provided to the doctor. The doctors’ conclusion was that an ultra sound needed to be done on my wife, logically, this is the only thing my wife actually requested and rushed to your casualty unit for as it was after hours and gynecologists rooms would have been closed. The doctor then completed the Lakesmith form by ticking ultrasound and writing 19 weeks pregnant. She also provided my wife with an additional pillow. I would say this was the extent of her consultation. She then left as her shift ended and my wife never met the next doctor or nurses who came in although she remained in casualty for a further hour.

At 8.10 am my wife was taken down by a porter to Lakesmith for the ultra sound where we handed in the form to the individuals sitting at the front desk. We then waited another half an hour before being called in to the ultra sound room. My anxious wife was asked to lay on the bed and was a second away from having the long awaited ultra sound when a second radiographer actually decided to read the form and realized that they do not conduct ultra sounds on patients over 12 weeks!

I informed the lady who opened the file for me that I was leaving with my wife and that no treatment was received. She mentioned that she will take the R900 from my wife’s’ medical aid. Putting my wife and baby first I had no time to argue the matter. Having wasted over 3 hours at the hospital, my wife’s’ gynecologist was now opened and treated her. The first question he asked was why did the casualty doctor not contact him??? He was fully aware that Lakesmith cannot perform an ultra sound on a 19 week pregnant patient. Being a doctor who delivers at Parklands hospital, it would have been rather easy and sensible for the casualty doctor to contact him. Please inform me how a doctor working in your casualty department was not aware of this? Why did she waste 3 hours of our time waiting for an ultra sound, which if she was competent or perhaps wide awake, she would have known cannot be conducted there? Why did Lakesmith not pick this up when we got there after 2 hours of waiting and still made us wait further? Why are the staff opening files so rude and ***********?

I am writing this email to you for 2 reasons: 1. I feel ****** of the amount charged by the hospital and casualty as nothing was done 2. I was considering Parklands hospital for my wife’s’ labor as it is one of the hospitals where Dr Sankar delivers, however I am now strongly doubting this decision

Please help me understand how such disappointing service can be accepted at a Netcare hospital. I am hoping this can be rectified by Netcare failing which I will be contacting the HPCSA.