Hospital Treatment & Communication

My mother was transferred to Groote Schuur Hospital during the early hours of 26 April (approximately 3am–4am) for further scans after X-rays revealed two fractured vertebrae. What followed has been extremely distressing and deeply concerning for our family.

Upon arrival, my mother’s catheter was already full, yet it was only emptied and replaced at the end of the day. Despite being in severe pain with spinal fractures, she only received pain medication at approximately 3pm–4pm, many hours after admission.

After the MRI, my mother was initially informed that she had one fractured vertebra and one broken vertebra. A week later, one of the specialists involved in her care advised her that she could begin sitting up. Shockingly, the very next day, the doctor from the Trauma Unit reviewed her file and contradicted this advice entirely, instructing her not to move because she in fact had two broken vertebrae, although he stated the condition was stable. The conflicting information provided regarding such a serious spinal injury has left my mother frightened, confused, and uncertain about her condition.

During this period, my mother also developed an infection. She was advised that treatment could not commence until urine test results were received. As a result, she suffered for an entire week without treatment for the infection. She was further informed that both urine and blood tests would be conducted; however, when the results became available, the only explanation provided was that the doctor was unhappy with one of the blood test results and therefore supplements needed to be administered via a drip. Further blood tests were also ordered.

Despite repeatedly asking for clarity and constructive feedback regarding her condition, the purpose of the tests, and the medication being administered, my mother has continuously been brushed off. She is repeatedly told that the doctor will return to explain matters, but this rarely happens. To date, she still has no understanding of what blood tests were conducted, why additional testing was required, or what the medical team is investigating.

While we are grateful that investigations and testing are being carried out, it is fundamentally a patient’s right to understand their medical condition, why tests are being performed, and why specific medication or treatment is being prescribed.

We fully appreciate that this is a public hospital operating under immense pressure and treating a high volume of patients. However, this does not make it acceptable for patients and their families to be left uninformed, confused, and distressed during what is already an extremely traumatic experience.