New Somerset Hospital

Not so busy today and the staff are very helpful. The on-site cafeteria came in handy as the vending machines I was pre-warned about them not giving you change. Do have the exact amount if you plan on using the snacks vending machine. The cold drinks vending machine you can use your bank card to tap.

Thanks for the good care of the nurses of the 7th floor....special mention to the Male nurse that treats every patient will a smile, good bed side manners....The New Somerset hospital could be proud to have someone like you in their service.....WELL DONE YOU DESERVE A MAJOR INCREASE! Yes and you are doing a awesome job with the small budget from the department of Health....Good job staff of floor 7!!!!

I had a terrible experience . Most of the nurses are horrible. I wish I had rather had a home birth.I don't ever want to remember the experience and only when I met my baby was I relieved of all the stress the nurses and doctors gave me. They also diagnosed my situation incorrectly and almost took drastic decisions to deliver my son. So many regrets with this hospital but at the end I'm only grateful to have my son. One of the doctors was so horrible and cold hearted she's definitely in the wrong profession. Working in a maternity ward should be something you really want to do because you love helping bring new life into the world. I don't know what happend to the staff at Somerset to make them act like they working in hell,. not a place of birth and new beginning

I am turning to this platform out of frustration and feeling of hopelessness. My dad passed away this week and my mom had a severe heart attack. She was transferred from Vredenburg hospital to New Somerset hospital on Monday night. She was admitted on Tuesday. We the children are calling every day and driving daily more than 260km in an attemp to find out about her condition and to see her. The personnel awnsering the phone are not allowed to give us information, no doctor available to take our calls or returning our calls. Only on the day of admission there were helpfull personell, eversince we only found angry unhelpfull healthpersonnel. Last night i had the lowest point emotionly when the sister in the ward says there is nothing she can do to assist us. We are busy arranging my dads funeral but we have no idea what the following week looks like for my mom. We only want to know what the diagnosis is what they are treating her for and what the doctors foresee in terms of recovery. I do not wish this feeling of hopelessnes for any person. Any advise will be appreciated.

Shocking follow through. My mom had multiple mini strokes and then a full stroke on the day we took her in. Despite the severity of her illness and her age, we sat from after 9pm until 3am. She was finally seen by a young lovely and patient doctor in emergency and remained there until a bed was available. They ran tests which was great and she was put on meds for her stay of 3 days before she was discharged despite her not feeling 100% but she was too scared to mention the dizzy spells to the nurses. When I raised this with the sister in charge, she asked if she was now at fault and did I think it was right of my mom for not mentioning it. I didn't even mention that it was because they were so rude and impatient. Long story short another dr came to see her, my mom had no prior engagements with this dr she did not examin her and just said she would be fine, to take her meds for 21 days and then go off it. Bottom line, no mention of next steps, follow up check up. They were also meant to book an appointment for my mom to see a cardiologist at Groote Schuur as they don't do this at Somerset.......she was diagnosed with leaking valves - needless to say no appointment was made and we sitting In limbo waiting for the next stroke or heart attack to happen. REALLY PATHETIC FOLLOW THROUGH SERVICE BUT WHAT WAS I EXPECTING?. SAD!!

I had major surgery in a state facility and lived to tell the tale... My overall experience is that NHS is clean, professional and well organised despite being super overloaded. For all the help and care I received, my deepest thanks to all the nurses, doctors, students and staff at NSH...I see you. my story After an incident involving a bottle of Klippies and cola, I required major surgery on my ankle. I was a patient at NSH for 3 days. Private quote was R 100,000 At the time of my injury I was first treated and stabilized in Vredenberg state hospital. My appointment to see a specialist orthopedic was 1 week later at NSH. This was a full day of adventure in the OPD. Waiting for the specialist, x-rays, casts etc. Special mention to Freddy in OPD who helped to calm me through a very traumatic manipulation of the dislocated ankle while it was broken. Twice, on the same day. The trauma of my injury justified a bed available that same day for operation the next day, but I had to turn it down because of work commitments. Bad move...Only after 2 weeks of no beds was I checked in, operated on and the next day, discharged. My advice for going to NSH For an emergency, and you feel you need help NOW, rather go to the casualty dept of your nearest private hospital. By law they have to stabilize you there, and thereafter you will be transferred to a state facility which will be expecting you. The process of admission is then made a lot easier if referred by a doctor hospital and you are expected. If you are going to just pitch up at NSH, then be prepared to wait - This is not the fault of the hospital system or the staff but rather the sheer numbers of people needing help at any given time. Its worse over weekends when there are more alcohol related injuries. You will be helped according to the system of triage, which are the set of procedures that are followed in order for medical personnel to evaluate and decide who gets helped first based on the severity of each case. And as bad as you think you have it well, that it is not up to you to decide. Your case is not special. While you are waiting to be seen, and after you get a bed : Make peace with the fact that you are going to have to wait. If you are polite it goes a long way. If you are not ´lastig´, it goes a long way. Do not expect the nurses and doctors to be at your beck and call. The nurses are well trained but they don´t take kak. All the the doctors, nurses, students, cleaning staff the place is old, but clean are all overworked but they are doing their best. People have bad days. If you leave your sense of entitlement behind, it goes a long way... On the other hand; If you are going to sit there and moan about the government, the level of service and your tax money well then, pity for you and rather go get a medical aid or go back to your own country to get help there. I see some African Foreign Nationals moaning on the reviews ??? The security guards are outsourced, they are super blunt but they are good for directions to get around the hospital. be friendly What to take with you when you are admitted: 2 pin adapter, charging block and cable. There are plugs next to the bed. Do not take a big bag of clothing. They provide you with a hospital gown, which is changed daily. You may want your own pillow. Take a Tooth brush and tooth paste. They provide a super comfortable mattress better than my one at home and clean bedding. They provide soap and hot water to wash with while in your bed. There is also an old, creepy looking bath and shower on the 7th floor where I was. I skipped it. Take Bottled water and snacks. Expect to be in a room with 5 other people. its lekka to chat Cell phones are sealed in an envelope and locked in a safe just before your op and returned after. The food is pretty decent, lunch consisted of roast chicken, with gravy, butternut, broccoli and rice. Guys, its a government hospital. With no medical aid and no options I suggest you make the best you can from the experience.

Horrible 2 weeks, understaffed and underfunded. Inbetween the bad staff and conditions there were very few good staff that genuinely cared. Food is sometimes good aswell. Overall for a South African government hospital there is a lot worse. But don't expect a pleasant experience either and do not expect to get treated right away. Please opt for a private hospital if you can afford it and your condition is serious

One star is too much. From being booked in with broken hip, three weeks later my mom got an internal infection. Now at trauma unit for 4 hours and we told someone is coming for the last 2 hours. This is the service of Somerset hospital. I leave here with no one seeing my mom. Back home with her infection

Absolute disgrace of a hospital, no words can describe how pathetic the service is at Somerset Hospital. Whilst I understand you will have to wait to be seen and possibly wait an hr or 2 maybe longer but my partner has had to wait for 10hrs since 9am this morning and with an emergency referral from our Dr and still has not been seen. You guys are a joke, my partner has serious abdominal pain and not been seen to. You are supposed to be a hospital. Guess this joke of a hospital is also Government run. Just pathetic service even after calling the reception I get told she must just wait. If you are dying and have a chronic illness don’t go here. You won’t get assisted.

To be honest and I’m sure management won’t even read this review - it is expected from a government hospital so well done guys on proving me right. Security is horrific - sick wife - try assist her to the emergency room and told I can’t come in - to assist someone??? No man. Come on guys - then security told me she looks okay. You must be joking. A pregnant lady that can’t walk straight??? Absolutely pathetic for a government hospital that caters for our tourists being so close and all to the Waterfront.