Vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation in 14 Neurosurgery clinics in Oceania

Dr Anthony Chau was my angel and lifesaver.. I suffered for 3.5months with a L4L5 bulging disc and he pulled me out of hell. I will be forever grateful for his care, compassion and service. He did a remarkable job. I feel so blessed 🙏 thank you Dr Anthony Chau with all my heart.

Dr Papacostas completely misdiagnosed me and caused me three extra months of pain and loss of mobility. Thankfully I got a second opinion and have just had surgery to correct a prolapsed disc. The pain has now gone, and I have regained all function in my leg. My main grip with him is that he did not listen to my concerns on the follow-up appointment which was by phone. He just dismissed them out of hand and told me the problem was being caused by arthritis and to seek pain management. If he had reviewed the MRI (which I doubt) he would have seen the prolapsed disc which was quickly picked up by the second neurosurgeon who was looking at the same MRI. My message to him is to listen to what the patient is telling you

BCNC has been very professional and taken great care with their service's to both my husband and myself. I recently have been seeing Dr Amato who performed a spinal fusion on me, and it was nothing but a good experience. Dr Amato has a great bed side manner, explains everything well, and great post operative care. I had no hesitations deciding to go forth with a second fusion required. Thank you BCNC, Dr Campbell, and Dr Woods, but most of all thank you Dr Amato - you are a champion.

Shout out to Ward One. Spent two days there after surgery. From admitting to discharge everyone was knowledgeable, capable and kind. I found the rooms were amazing, far exceeded my expectations. Special acknowledgement to my nurses who went above and beyond.

Its an amazing 👏 hospital. I had day surgery and all the staff treated me with great care and respect. I was always updated on what was happening and how long each process would be. Food was yummy too 😋. Tip: they usually give out WIFI password at admission but if forgotten, just ask and they'll share.

Not the first time I've been in here but as previously even though it was for an operation all the staff right through from reception to orderlies, nurses, doctors and anaesthetists all made the experience stress free and even, although it might be a strange thing to say, enjoyable. You all do an amazing job. Also a big shout out to the cleaners and sorry if I've forgotten anyone. Thanks so much. Cheers, Peter.

Yesterday, I had to have an operation at RPA. It was amazing service, and the staff were wonderful. All the nurses and doctors were fantastic, and I would like to commend them on their work and thank them again very much. Great job. Thank you 😊

The hospital is hit miss like all of NSW Health. The nurses have mental health issues so depending on which nurse you get, either you will receive good care or be subjected to abuse like having your meds not given, information not provided, details not passed to your doctors (who often review remotely so you don’t see them every day). The outsourced food is not relevant to your needs and not replaced with adequate nutrition if you have allergies etc. I saw one new father deliberately kept outside because the nurses didn’t like him then watched them laugh at the struggling new mum who was doing things without support and the nurses just watched, didn’t help her. Same with trying to get information from Doctors, they simply don’t talk to you. The information provided by the nurses is often half-truths designed to placate people not be honest with them.

I don’t know if they will see it but thank you so much to Maddie, Lisa, Eva, Greg, Todd and all of the other overworked nurses and drs who looked after me whose names I didn’t catch or couldn’t remember. I just had my appendix out and it was my first ever hospital visit and everyone was so kind and attentive. I really appreciate how hard you all work. Thank you so much ♥️

A big shout out to the doctors and nurses at Dickinson south building level 2. Your care is elite. Your all angels that deserve amazing lives. May God bless all of you Doctors, Nurses and health care professionals.

I’ve been in the Emergency Department of Prince of Wales, a number of times in my life. I waited a very long time only once. I had only 1 bad experience where I was in observation in bed and I could not get a peaceful sleep as the doctors kept checking on me every hour and kept my light on the whole time. The next day, they forgot to remove the IV from my arm and sent me home. Overall, not too bad experience.

Tammy was an excellent night nurse who woke me up very gentle and made sure i was ok. She distracted me from my injury and made my stay very calm and comfortable. I am very thankful to of had her as my nurse :)

Thankful for the dedication of all the doctors & nurses here. My newborn daughter was seen by ear, nose and throat specialists & speech therapists for a feeding assessment. Both encounters were great, staff were friendly and welcoming. They were able to provide answers & recommendations to us. The only negative was the shuttle service, it’s a great idea. But it was either too full or not on time, and waiting with a newborn on a cold wet day is not ideal.

Every member of staff I interacted with were friendly, understanding and gentle. They listened to my concerns and did everything in their power to ensure I was comfortable and happy. I could not be more grateful and happy with the care I received. (Also the meals are delicious!! Huge thanks to the kitchen staff too!)

The nursing staff, doctors and surgeons here are amazing!! So attentive, caring and thorough! One of the most professionally run hospitals that I have been too! Thank you so much for making my stay comfortable, stress free and for making me feel valued and cared about like a human being! I really appreciate and thank you all for your hard work and dedication, Emergency Department and Ward B3, October 2023

If you want to feel safe, respected and that you will recieve decent care, then don't go to this Emergency Department. The street from the car park to the ED is dark and deserted, the triage nurse was condescending and kept trying to put words int my mouth about my own pain to minimise it. The admin person was deadpan and complained that my doctor was not on their records at the same address I had for her. She kept looking at me like it was my mistake. The room seemed deliberately set up to get rid of people, the temperature was freezing cold, the television was so loud that people were having trouble hearing their name called. It also forced staff to yell names out, contributing to the excessive unreasonable amount of noise. Some poor baby was crying, clearly distressed, for half an hour (seemingly unattended) and three elderly people were left in cold uncomfortable seats that caused my body pain, so I hate to imagine their pain. And to top things off, the hand sanitiser was empty, so chances are if you touched anything, it would have germs on it. Just don't go there. Clearly they don't want you and you will be in more pain leaving than when you arrived.

The emergency staff and most of the nurses were fantastic. Once you reach the maximum subsidy they get from the commonwealth government regardless of how sick you are. You are moved to the ends of the hospital with no care or caring. I was told my private health insurance made no difference here and I should be in a private hospital. We wonder why our health system is so screwed up. This is a great indication why. I will be going private from now on. I know where my business is not wanted.

My friend was in hospital for 5 hours complaining she was unable to breathe due to a most likely respiratory infection. She got let into emergency pretty fast but then after getting a few blood tests and a cannula nothing else really happened. After the cannula, the doctor said she most likely had an infection, she asked them ‘what type of infection’ and he said ‘I don’t know, I’ve only known you for two minutes’. And then after waiting for a while, we asked another nurse if we could just get an update and she said ‘if we ask the doctors, that means they stop working’ and then opened our curtain and wouldn’t let us shut it because ‘she wouldn’t be able to see we were there’. Then after another hour we asked to leave and then the nice nurse that we liked said we could because they did all they could, when they could’ve told us that many hours ago. We still have no idea what is wrong with our friend #emo 😖

Had a relatively minor surgery performed here recently, and can honestly say that my surgeon was a genius! In 24 hours I had more relief than in the last 3 years (and that’s still with swelling included). The nurses in the maxillofacial department were fantastic! So welcoming and comforting - I have an immense appreciation for the doctors and nurses in that department after my visit. Try not to hold it against the staff for long wait times, etc… they really are doing the best they can 🙂

i was really unwell even had covid & right side lower the tummy unbearable pain so i went in emergency in tui & doctor said that’s symptoms of appendix & they referred me to go hospital n when we went they just checked my urin n blood test which can not tell you that you have appendix or not. they should to scan it .because of that still i’m suffering from that pain.. please try to provide your best & accurate service.doctors are to save people’s life not to leave them to struggle with the pain.

This is the worst ED in New Zealand , 8 hour wait time so far, still have not been seen. not many people here. Patient with sepsis whom could hardly walk, in a wheel chair kept going to counter to ask for help an kept getting told to sit back down. 4 hours later many times going to reception and finally got a bed. Many people complaining, was an absolute nightmare, worst experience ever !!!!!!!

You will probably die before you get your waitlist surgery appointment date, unless another hospital saves you out of your misery. Stay away from this hospital as there is absolutely no compassion here!!

This was my fourth time at this hospital for post-surgery exercise, today I had two other people's records on my file. The staff member that was assigned to me, was confused because of this. I was there for my back exercise, not my hip or knee. You can only blame the Qld health office staff for this. THANK GOD I WAS NOT HAVING A OPERATION. ANOTHER MISTAKE FROM QLD HEALTH

I had a hemorrhage type stroke in the ER room after being denied the usage of Ryan's Rule, staff is extremely rude and unprofessional. Since the stroke I have been refused triage and denied medical treatment every time I attempt to present to emergency with the Doctor's very rudely telling me they aren't going to treat me and to go home during my acute medical episode which included my brain actively hemorrhaging. Have only ever received treatment when the Police have done an EEA which involved the staff drugging with me high amounts of Morphine the first time and Fentanyl the second time making me unconscious for the EEA before releasing me outside which resulted in me getting hit by a car. Incredibly disgusting behavior by an abhorrent group of staff and pathetic excuses for Nurses and Doctors.

I had self funded surgery here 6 weeks ago. My surgeon and anaesthetist were amazing. 10/10. The nurses I had when I came out of recovery were great. Attention to detail, caring, wonderful. The nurses I had the following day were average. The surgery cost $11950, I was in hospital less than 18 hours. My admission was messed up, so after fasting from 9pm for an 8am surgery, I wasn’t admitted until after 4pm. Surgery went great and was out of recovery by 8pm. The next morning I wasn’t given any fluids or anything and was discharged not long after waking. I was given the wrong discharge papers and medication scripts too. Please do better in future. I would definitely think twice about having surgery here again.

All the staff at the Wesley are amazing. Even when staff are super busy, they are friendly, they make time for you and your every concern. The staff look happy and appear to work as a well oiled team. Comfortable rooms and great food choices (including Vegan options) and service. Remember, it is a Hospital not a restaurant. It really is the best! Thank you Wesley

Professional staff, every nurse and doctors were amazing at the Wesley hospital. Special thanks to Dr GOUGH who performed an excellent thyroid operation.

Gross negligence in patient care- avoid this hospital like the plague.. it’s an absolute joke. if I could give no stars I would. If you value your life and want a good chance of recovery and not to die due to poor nursing and “specialist care” - DO NOT GO TO GREENSLOPES… you have been warned.

Had private health cover for most of my adult life and one time I needed to use it, the experience was so horrible. I’ve triggered Ramsay rule 3 times without success, was told medical director was going to see me, but that did not ever happen. I was eventually transferred to a public hospital, and experience was so much better.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the hospital and its incredible team for the exceptional support and care we received during my cesarean section. The nurses and Midwife were outstanding, the food was worthy of a 5-star hotel, and Dr. Melissa Mckenzie proved to be the best in the world. Every detail of our stay was handled with professionalism and warmth, making us feel cared for and comfortable. Even after 5 days, I would have wished to extend our stay because they made us feel at home. Highly recommended! Thank you all for making this moment so special and peaceful for my baby and me. 👶🌟"

What superb care my darling 95yr old Dad received in their A&E dept!!!! The Male Nurse, 'Nappy', was so kind, compassionate and approachable and so gentle with my Dad. Thanks to him, I was able to take my Dad home later this afternoon, problem rectified and my Dad in much better spirits too! The triage Nurse was really lovely and the clerk, Julie, was also incredibly kind, calm and compassionate. They are a shining example of what all A&E Department should aspire to! So very grateful! God bless you all. 🙏🏼🕊🙏🏼

It's disgraceful for a hospital that holds itself out as one of the premier hospitals. They are not equipped to care for elderly and frail patients who as we well know often suffer from poor appetite and require more intensive attention. . My wife who in her 80s, is frail and weak, has been in there for two weeks and no one has checked her food intake. During the two weeks she only had mostly soup. I had to point this out to them and request for food supplement to be provided. The nurses explain that they are understaffed and can only provide the basic attention and care. On the other hand the nurses are polite and kind but obviously stressed.

After severing an artery and nerve at my workplace, I was directed to attend SJOG Murdoch for reparative surgery by Dr Sharon Chu. From the moment I set foot in the hospital, the level of kindness, care and competence was exemplary. Orderlies were extremely kind and attentive, the nurses and doctors were super efficient and lovely, I couldn't fault anyone I came into contact with. My anaesthetist, Dr James Miller was similarly amazing, taking my past history with genersl anaesthesia into account and ensuring I did not wake up sick and vomiting after the GA as I usually do. I woke up in recovery feeling great, with no hint of nausea. Dr Chu was similarly impressive, not only by doing a great job on the repair, but by being kind, attentive and very reassuring. Her smile lit up the room and completely put me at ease, it made all the difference and eased my pre-op anxiety! My breakfast the next day was superb and ordering off the room service menu felt as though I was in a 5 star hotel! It was delivered promptly with a smile by another lovely hospital employee and was hot & delicious. I truly felt that I was having a lovely holiday, with just a bit of surgery thrown in for good measure! I cannot fault my experience at SJOG Murdoch and give my heartfelt thanks to all imvolved in my care!

I don't know where to start from,I had a fall on Oct 7 2023 and ambulance took me to ED,I was attended fast and though I was high with green whistle but I can still say all the staff who attended me was very supportive. Mind it I never been to hospital in my full life. After I came out of theatre, I moved to orthopedic ward,some ward5 ..sorry don't exactly remember, but the Nursing staff there was so helpful and supportive they really tried there best,they talk positive they listen you ,understand you and took care of your dignity and privacy,after a week I moved to.plastic OMG the Nursing staff there was like an angles sorry I can't name anyone as they all were the best including an Asian uni student.what a great level of skills and patience the staff have.thank you very much all doctors and nursing staff to fix me up and taking a great care of me.will surely visit in person to pay my gratitude and to say thanks to all once am completely recovered. Wish you all a very merry x mas and a happy new year. Regards

You've been fantastic! Your positive attitude and kindness reassured my family that I was being looked after, and throughout my stay I felt I was in good hands. I am now feeling stronger, and I am feeling much more hopeful about my recovery. Kind regards, Saba

We were ask to attend for an elective planned surgery. This is a second procedure follow on from the first. The 1st admission process was smooth with minor hiccups that we overlooked because we were happy with the surgical outcome. The second procedure we were aware that we might be the 3rd listed for surgery. We were advised to attend for pre-admission procedure at 6.30 am. We did as we were told. The nurse advised us that we might be called in at 1130hrs to get ready to be taken to theatre. We waited, waited and waited and no call for theatre or a decency of an update on the delay. We attend RMH at the surgeon request which we know is best with the expert in the field here. We attended as private patient in a public system. We don't have any problem with that arrangement either. But someone who is highly anxious with heighten anxiety and a delay such as this is entirely unacceptable. It further exacerbated with such appalling poor communication. Providing the best health care does not stop at surgical outcome alone, but how the patient and the family made to feel the entire experience will be what constitutes best health care. I don't know this is a result of poor training where empathy is out of the window or complete complacency of the public system. If one were to admit to ED, with no bed within 4 hours will be a red flag. Not until we approached the reception staff we received an update. What has been a good encounter is tarnish by such lack of attention to basic courtesy of good communication. Very disappointing today.

I recently gave birth at St Vincent's Private hospital and was impressed by the level of service and care I received during my stay. I was very well looked after by all the doctors, nurses and hospital staff. Not only did the staff provide me and my husband with lots of knowledge and insight as first time parents, they were caring and empathetic too. I highly recommend this hospital and I'd come back to deliver another baby in the future. Thank you

We had our first baby over a year ago at St. Vincent’s in Fitzroy and we had a great experience. Everyone was lovely from the nurse in the room who helped me to get ready for my c- section to the anaesthetists. I didn’t want to breastfeed and no one absolutely no one judged me or pushed me. The room was great. The care was great. Food was great and the night nurses did a wonderful job taking care of our Bub. The paediatrician was amazing and just so calm and encouraging. We are now planning to have our second baby at St. Vincent’s.

I had to spend a week in St Vincent's Private Hospital. The staff were just wonderful. Felt well taken care of at all levels. Nothing was too much trouble. The meals were basic but fresh and of good quality.

I want to express my deepest thanks to the doctors and nurses at RCH, particularly the nurses in Possum ward, for their exceptional care of my daughter Ophelia Low. Your unwavering attention and support truly alleviated our stress during her stay. Thank you sincerely once more.

I was at the emergency with my child today and we saw Dr Kae. He was very knowledgeable. He put me at ease with the concern I was having. I was very worried coming in and waiting long but the 2 hour wait went very quick. I was offered something to drink from a volunteer and when my child’s name was called, the nurse even helped me pushed my pram for me. I’m very happy with my first time experience at RCH today.

Salute to all the doctors and nurses working at this hospital. You guys were awesome! I cannot thank you enough, the amount of support and love show to my 4 year old son who had an Asthma attack. Very professional and friendly. You saved my sons life and il be forever grateful. 🩵💙