Surgical Ward 1

I won't refer anyone to this hospital's Surgical Ward 1 ever, because of the noise in that ward!!! I have complaint agains this ever since the first time I was admitted there in 2019, my husband emailed the superintendent regarding this matter, he came to see me, but absoluut nothing has been done to this. Nurses treats patients like 'you own them something' if you ask for pain meds, sometimes not even comes back when asking.

My husband was booked for a gastroscopy in 2018. When he got to Surgical Ward 1 to be admitted to his bed after been taking there by the porter, there was no bed for him 'as they gave it to another patien', so he had to sat and wait on the stairs, as there was no place in the waiting room.

The last straw was when I was admitted on 16 Jan '23 to receive a kidney-stent. We were 5 lady patients in the ward. Again the noise level were outrageous and the bad part is that the nursing staff take part in this. I was not complaining about the patient next to me that received more than 5 visitors and the patient at the other side of the room 3, it sounded like there was a huge party the way they all talked, laugh and shouted at each other with the remaining 3 of us (patients) not feeling well at all. I was booked for theater on Tuesday 17 Jan '23 at 14h00. My husband didn't come to visit me during visiting hours so I ask a nurse permission if he can sit by my bed till I go to theater. She gave her permission. Me and my husband sat and talk nobody knew he was there (we were talking softly, respecting the other patients), when out of the blue the Security Guard wanted to remove my husband. The part-time manager of the ward phoned the guard. We felt like *********, we did nothing wrong, were very soft when talking and had permission for him to be there. I was so upset that I started to cry and tis was just before I should go to theater. The sister in charge tried to calm me down. Long story short, I asked to be moved to another ward, which did happen.

Overall my experiences with Surgical Ward 1 Netcare Richards Bay are terrible, I will never refer anyone there.