"A medical procedure"

The straight forward medical procedure was scheduled for mid-morning a few months ago, so we rang the day before to check the best time to come into Greenslopes Hospital. We were advised to arrive around 3 hours before, because parking is woeful and after 9am there will be no parking available inside the grounds. You may have to park many blocks away.

So we arrived 3 hours before the scheduled time, found a parking spot and then checked into the pre-op section. The desk insisted we pay $500 upfront but then pre-op staff were very helpful. We waited and waited and waited. Midday came and went so at mid-afternoon we asked had we been forgotten. The reply was that we were one of 8 medical procedures by that doctor and because mine was straight forward we were last on the list. An hour later, I was ushered into the bed section, where I waited a further half-hour. I was then wheeled to the operating theatre and after confirming my identity and what procedure I was there for I was anaesthetised.

The following morning I woke very early and found a remote control beside the bed. I pressed the top button for service because of the pain from the procedure but no one came for a full half-hour. Finally, a nurse arrived and administered pain relief. In the morning, two nurses came and removed a draining tube, informing me that the one remaining tube to the vein in arm would be removed shortly. But 2 hours later no one had returned so I pressed the service button for the second time. In the intervening 30 minutes before a nurse arrived, the surgeon's assistant came and informed me that I could leave as soon as I was discharged.  After another 20 minutes with no nurse, I removed the tube myself to the vein and sealed the injection location with hygenic gause and sticky tape, then proceeded to have a shower. My spouse waited outside and when a nurse finally arrived they were informed I was in the shower. I believe the nurse was aware of just how slack the nursing staff had been so they went away to make us both a cup of tea. Then we gathered our belongings and went to the desk to be discharged. I felt the nurse of a particular ethnicity had no idea what they should do, so we waited for the senior nurse in charge. When they realised that this particular nurse didn't know what to do, I felt they said loudly as I recalled, in front of my spouse and myself. to just tell us anything to get rid of us. I then reminded this senior nurse that we were standing right beside them and we didn't appreciate their non-professional attitude.

The pharmacy section then sent us a bill for a further $8.50 for painkillers that were requested by our surgeon but were not provided. Naturally, we didn't pay the $8.50 bill and based on this experience, will never again go to Greenslopes Private Hospital. Staff at another hospital are aware of our treatment and have said that they believe others have had a similar experience.