"Poor condition of facilities"

I was admitted as a patient a few days prior. It was my first time as a private patient in a private hospital. I must say I was shocked by the condition of the facilities I found myself in and was glad the cost of my hospital stay was picked up by my PHI fund and not from my pocket. The ward I was on (Mackellar) had multiple screaming babies/children at my door (Is there no paediatric ward here?). And there seemed to be quite extensive construction happening on the ward, complete with loud tradies and their power tools all day.

It was not the environment I envisioned for myself to be in for preparation and recovery from major surgery, as I suffer from auditory sensitivity and such loud repetitive noises cause me anxiety and panic attacks. I cried three times prior to my surgery in the afternoon on the second day of my stay, due to being overwhelmed by the noise. I spoke to a nurse about my concerns and they just shrugged it off, almost as if it was a normal occurrence at The Avenue. I'd also like to make note of the abhorrent condition of the bathroom in my room. In my opinion, it was quite run down, but my main concern was the shower tiles and grout, which I believe were layered with multiple species of mould!

I must say I laughed to myself when I was told to use an antiseptic wash in the shower prior to my procedure. I used half on me and squirted half on the mould. All of the staff I had dealings with were very professional, caring and tentative. 5 stars on that front. My issue is only with the conditions of the ward.

According to the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, I have or had the right to be cared for in an environment that is safe and makes me feel safe. Based on my experience, I didn't feel like I was in a safe environment during my admission at The Avenue.