Russel Louw, Fish Hoek
On Tuesday September 3, I urgently needed to go to False Bay Hospital as I needed my medication and to see a doctor as I was feeling terrible.
I am a double-leg amputee and don’t have prosthetics. I also have a deformed hand and am wheelchair-bound.
I had made special arrangements to get me up to the hospital which I can’t always get.
When I arrived, I went straight to emergency where I was turned away and told to go to the front counter. I approached the counter and explained I was not feeling good as I had not had my medication and I am a diabetic. My left arm was also numb and tingling and I could not sit in my chair for long. I am 61 and a state patient.
I was told to join the queue like everybody else. I said, we’ll what happens if I pass out and was told to go knock on a door, they will help you.
I decided to go and sit between all the people, which was difficult because I am in a chair and there is not much space.
I found myself in a little corner with a small table, which I could put my cellphone on as I only have one hand to operate it.
All of a sudden one of the “rent a cop” security approached me and I was told to move as I am not allowed to use it. I explained my situation but he said I must go and sit by the door.
I moved to the entrance of the door. The next moment the door opens and this nurse comes out and tells me to move as I am blocking the doorway.
I moved to the centre of the floor and five minutes later I was told I can’t park there.
Four hours later, I eventually get called into a little room and I now need to get a urine sample.
So now I go to find a toilet only to find that the disabled toilet is out of order and the other toilets are too small. So I calmly sat in the passage and peed into the bottle.
I go back where she (sic) takes all my reading and asked me why is my blood pressure and sugar so high. I just shook my head and left. It wasn’t worth going down that road.
Then I went back to the musical chairs, luckily I didn’t have to get out of mine. It now was approaching 4 o’clock and there was still +- 40 people there. There had only been three doctors on duty and each took about 30 minutes to see each patient.
At 4.30pm, I realised that time was running out. My lift was coming and the pharmacy at the hospital had already closed. They were also doing stock-take the next day. So I tried to catch one of the doctors when they came out to try and get some advice but was just rudely ignored.
I then approached the front counters where the two attendees were on their cellphones. I had to shout to get their attention to tell them that the doctors have my folder and I can come back tomorrow.
I was told I would have to go through the same again and they carried on playing on their phones.
I finally called it a day and went home. Fortunately, I started feeling better but that didn’t solve the problem as I still needed my tablets.
In conclusion, in the past two years I have been in and out of hospitals during my amputation, etc. I spent time in Victoria, Groote Schuur and Booth Memorial hospitals and they were up to the level of any private hospitals locally.
False Bay Hospital is dirty and disorganised and the staff and doctors are rude. That is why they work for the government. They wouldn’t make it out there in the private world.
There are no proper facilities for the disabled at False Bay Hospital. The disabled toilets are continuously out of order, the handles to assist us are barely hanging onto the wall.
The reason I write this complaint is not only for me but for all the other disabled people who live in this area.
• Natalie Watlington, spokesperson for the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, responds:
We are truly sorry to hear about Mr Louw’s experience at our hospital and the frustration he faced during his visit.
On the day of his visit, our facility was under significant pressure, leading to longer waiting times. To ensure that patients with life-threatening conditions receive timely care, we follow a triage system, which prioritises patients based on the urgency of their medical needs.
Mr Louw was triaged green upon arrival, which meant that while our team attended to more urgent cases (red and orange), he experienced a longer waiting time.
Our hospital team has made efforts to reach Mr Louw using the contact details provided but, unfortunately, we have not been successful.
We kindly invite him to connect with our hospital manager so that we can discuss and address any concerns he may have.
We fully understand the frustration that waiting can cause, and we are committed to improving the patient experience.
We respectfully ask that all interactions and communication with our staff and other patients remain courteous and respectful, as we aim to provide a safe and compassionate environment for everyone in our care.
