Queues, queues, queues and managerial indifference at MilPark Pharmacy

Patients can expect to wait for an hour before being served, and a further 30 minutes for a prescription to be filled, at Netcare MilPark Pharmacy. Worse, hospital management is indifferent to the hardship they cause.

On Friday, 24 January, I was seen by an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Bhutt, at his clinic and was given a prescription for an injection and some medication. Thus began my long, long wait at the pharmacy. Further, I had a back injury and there was nowhere to sit. The two seats available in the dispensing section were occupied. So I had to stand in pain.

The long wait time was both aggravating and agonizing, and caused other patients to argue with the pharmacists on duty. When I left the pharmacy the queue was even longer.

I wrote to the Ms Hanlie Geertsema, the pharmacy manager, Ms Elise Botha and Customer Care at Netcare. and received a 10 word reply from Ms Geertsema which said: “Thank you for bring(sic) this to my attention.” Nothing else.

When I rep**** asking what was being done to remedy the situation, I got no answer. After another e-mail I was told they were going to employ more staff.

No apology, no regret for the distress caused, just indifference.

It is clear that Netcare managers lack customer service s****s, the Hospital has no effective complaint mechanism, and patients should expect poor service.