Cerebrospinal fluid fistula treatment in 13 Neurosurgery clinics in Australia

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.

Treated at the old Peter Mac many years ago and it was beyond excellent. But my experience at the new Peter Mac includes a lost referral, lost history, lost blood results, lost u/s results, relevant medication information not given, existing medical conditions potentially impacted by proposed treatment not considered or discussed, and incorrect information documented that contradicts what my GP sent to them AND which contradicts reports from when I was there before!. Trying to get it sorted out - impossible.

Subjected to absolutely disgusting treatment at this hospital. Elective Surgery Manager was rude , terse and has no people skills what so ever. As expected when I lodged a request for explanation the Cancer Surgery Manager chose to disregard key facts and dismissed me completely. Patients aren’t just Medicare numbers . Avoid this hospital at all costs .

The peter mac staff are all awesome from the security and domestic staff to the teams of surgeons and nurses who helped me through the whipple procedure i had back on 15th March . I cant say thankyou enough. The ongoing post operation treatment has also been fantastic.

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 :)

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 😖

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.

Saved my life (twice). Had I been anywhere else I would be 6 foot under. Thank you so much to all the staff who helped me and medical records in particular Ms Gee who was highly competent. I would like to thank the surgeon and staff who operated on me. I simple do not understand the negative reviews here, try going to other parts of the world and see healthcare others have. Thank you.

I recently had a positive experience at Canberra Hospital, and I'm eager to share my feedback. Dr. Phillip, the surgeon, delivered an outstanding level of care, demonstrating expertise and professionalism throughout. Nurse Manita was incredibly cooperative, ensuring I felt comfortable and well-informed during my stay. The follow-up care from Nurse '' ROSE'' was exceptional—her kindness, care, and sweet demeanor made a significant difference in my overall experience. I appreciate the dedication and compassion displayed by the medical team at Canberra Hospital.

Very professional staff working efficiently and compassionately under enormous pressure due to a chronically underfunded hospital system. Many of the negative reviews reveal narrow minded attitudes and highly unrealistic expectations of a stressed public health system. We are lucky to have such a hospital in Canberra, which last I was aware is actually the second busiest trauma hospital in the nation- accepting patients not only from Canberra but transfers from regional areas and Sydney.

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. 👶🌟"

Wouldn’t recommend as a private patient, during fasting the staff ate in front of you and it was loud and chaotic. It’s outdated and worn down. Worst experience of a hospital I have had. Was offered a sandwich at the end that had condensation on the plastic. Communication was terrible. Sat for 2.5 hours with no updates. The clothes given to wear for surgery was scratchy and uncomfortable. Bed sheets had stains. Understaffed and overbooked.

I stayed overnight in Ward 5D (Orthopedic ) in July 2023. The nurses and other staff were excellent. The only problem I had was the constant ringing of the bell. It was so loud . No one seem to be concerned about it . I did not get a minute of sleep even though the nurse gave me earplugs which didn’t block the noise at all. One staff told me the noise is always ongoing. Can they not turn the volume down a bit ? Unfortunately the specialist who treated me operated at this hospital. I have to change to another Dr and go to another private hospital if I need orthopedic treatment in future. I have mentioned this noise problem in the survey I completed post discharge. I have not received any explanation .

What can I say saved my life end of story great team of doctors, nurse's and support staff I'd love to come back but rather not haha great work keep saving lives your good at it

Presented with chest/breathing problems. Directed to station to give all admin details and make payment. All very streamlined, then waited and was taken to a isolation room. They apparentley should not have sent me to waiting room as l am highly infectious. When in room lost all cell and wifi. Asked many staff none had any idea of hospital wifi codes. 6 hours later at desk again to make outstanding payment. I mentioned that maybe it was a admin role that they tell people how to access hospital wifi as this was an ideal momment. They certainly were able to take money and l signed for my insurance. The slim older woman wirh blond grey hair let me know very aggresively that it was not her job. While at the far end of the counter was a business card with wifi details..... Just appaling her lack of care. Surely patients maintaing contact with family, matters as the hospital phone also did not work in room, however she could not care less and let me know that. The rest of the staff are amazing. After tests l have Influenza A.

Currently staying over night & I’m blown away by the staff. They were all very attentive & reassured me before, after and during. Was laughing through my whole experience which has never happened before! Lovely people who do an amazing job.

If there is 0 star, I will give it to Cabrini. Back in early Jan 2023, I was referred by my GP to Cabrini to receive intravenous antibiotics due to swelling in my foot. The reception in the ED asked me to complete a form, provided my Medicare and Medibank information, and I paid $485. At that time, I inquired about any additional out-of-pocket expenses as I was covered by private insurance, and I was clearly told there would be none. I was then placed on a bed in a ward. A doctor examined my foot and, after assessing it, decided not to administer IV antibiotics and no treatment is required, but asked me to take an ultrasound test on my foot. Since there will be no treatment plus I had several meetings that day, I specifically asked whether I could return home first and had the test later if still needed. The doctor told me he would inform me of the expected waiting time; if it was lengthy, I could leave and have the tests done at my GP, but if it was short, I could have them done at the hospital. Later, he informed me that the test could be done quickly, so I proceeded with it at the hospital. It took me more than 6 hours to finish the test and wait for result. In the end I was discharged without any treatment. During the checkout process, I once again inquired at the front desk whether there were any additional out-of-pocket expenses beyond the $485 I had already paid, and I was told there were none. A few weeks later, I received the test invoice, after discussing the matter with Cabrini accounting team, I was informed that I had never actually been admitted to the hospital. Does Cabrini expect an ordinary consumer to identify the difference between an outpatient ward and an admission ward? Not to mention I was informed by your staff there will be no additional out-of-pocket expense, plus no treatment at all, totally misleading!!! Even worse, after I raised a compliant to CRM Cabrini, received feedback telling me the invoice will be put on hold until review is done. Since then, no one from Cabrini has communicated with me. Last week, I got a letter from collector chasing payment, what an arrogant and disgraceful act! Stay away from Cabrini!

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!

The best experience ever… thank you so much level 3 birthing unit … I loved every bit of my delivery and the care was the best thank you to my obstetrician dr margie harpham … and all the nurses.

Due to h to he doctor rupturing my spleen during a routine colonoscopy I now have had to stay 2 nights & have extra tests- all at my cost! The food is appalling I haven’t seen a piece of fruit & none offered-just sweet biscuits & muffins! So much healing foods. Nursing staff have been fantastic though hence some stars. Any other business the client would not pay for doctors mistakes! A bit upset !

I had minor surgery there last week which required me to stay 3 nights. Service on arrival and admission was friendly and efficient. Post surgery, the care from Lee in Recovery and the team on Level 5 was excellent - very caring and kind. Thank you so very much to all including; Tate, Georgina, Hema, Ricky, Miguel & Sarah and two other lovely nurses whose names I can't remember. Your kindness was greatly appreciated.

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.

Worst worst experience ever in my whole life. Brining my child to the emergency and surgery ward, kept him fasting for unexpected hours. My poor child was asking for food Was no updates and everyone was coming we can’t give him drink as they gona take him to the surgery Nothing happened even after waiting 13 hours in without food😡

After having a great experience at the NICU for numerous weeks, my wife and I were looking forward to spending time in 9B as we were allowed to stay the night until our baby boy was discharged. However, that, the care from our surgical team and the allied health team was the only great experience we had at QCH. We did experience a couple of great nurses throughout our time there though, but unfortunately we both felt the nurse care and support was not there. The change overs each day were completely different and wrong, it took a long time to get help when we buzzed (luckily they weren't any emergencies), things were often forgotten or we were told wrong times for when things will be done, we were told cares would be very 4 hours (but this was rarely completed), there was also less optimal/hygienic technique with certain procedures and to top things off, we were given someone elses milk when we were discharged (See the image). Obviously, for confidentiality reasons I blacked out the name. Thankfully, my wife and I both work in the health care system, and we both knew what to do and looked after ourselves. We both hope that no one ever experiences what we went through and that the staff improve their values, procedures and care.

My hospital experience has been flawless from the beginning. The whole process from admission to going through surgery to paediatrics ICU and back to the ward has been carried out professionally and faultlessly from beginning to end. The Neurosurgeons, ENT, Paediatric, Infectious Diseases and all the wonderful nurses have worked tirelessly to make sure my son fully recovered from his infection. I can’t praise the hospital enough on its amazing service. Well done and I am forever grateful. Thanks Jane