Monash Health - Kingston Centre - Heatherton, Victoria

Christine B.

This place needs to be shut down. Old, smelly and dirty. Patients are jammed packed, 6 min in a ward. Which leaves a tiny space for each patient. Free to air tv, you have to pay for? Why? The hospital isnt paying for it? So if you cannot afford to pay for the free tv, you are just stuck in bed all day, staring at the ceiling? You need to pay for parking? In the suburbs? ( Park at nandos for free) MOST DEPRESSING PLACE I HAVE BEEN TOO. Windows are filthy, FOOD IS A DISGRACE & Not fit for human consumsion. Not sure how any patient would actually get better here. Bare min is done, to actually rehablilate patients, most stay in their bed all day, no wonder they get bed sores. My father said if we didnt get him out of there, he didnt want to see his family again! This is Australia in 2024, not a 3rd world country. Its scary to get old in this country! Dont let the photos on the internet fool you, they do not show the wards for a reason! Foul place, AVOID. Dad was sent there for rehabilitation, was left in his bed to rot. No rehabilitation was offered, he was recovering from sepis, and hadn't walked for over a month. Lost half his body weight, disgraceful excuse for "care" all they care about is over crowding very ill patients into this hell hole to get $$$ no one gets better here. Dirty and old.

sarah P.

It is difficult to describe how dreadful the clinical care was for my father. Except for the social worker and OT who kept me updated. The Drs would not communicate with his GP. They took him off all his medication. His anxiety meds all.his heart meds. We had no.idea ( until he got home.and his mental health deteriorated. And his GP weeks later asked us why with a stent and a pacemaker he wasn't on medication. Still distressed and in shock.

Patty W.

It has taken me three months to find the words to express my disgust with the care my mother received at Kingston Health.

She was admitted in mid-2024 after experiencing mobility issues due to a subdural hematoma earlier that year. We believed physiotherapy and exercise physiology would help her recover. Instead, Kingston Health proved to be the worst place for anyone seeking rehabilitation.

When admitted, my mother could walk independently. After two months there, she was confined to bed 24/7, unable to walk without assistance. Her “rehabilitation” consisted of just two brief sessions per week—if that. When my father raised concerns, the senior doctor dismissively said, “Take your complaint up with the government.”

During her stay, my mother saw a neurologist only once, with no meaningful follow-up. Staff suggested she had Parkinsonism, but there was no discussion of treatment. Through my research, I discovered her symptoms likely stemmed from drug-induced Parkinsonism. I requested her antidepressants—unnecessary in her case—be stopped and questioned her anti-seizure medication. Her anti-seizure medication was reduced minimally and her anti-depressants stopped. Unbeknown to us, they started her on a different anti-depressant the next day. It was only during a family meeting a week later that this was revealed, and we immediately requested it be discontinued. At the time, my mother was dazed and barely responsive!

During the same meeting, the medical team and social worker suggested sending her to aged care, claiming she needed 24/7 assistance. Despite requests, no further investigation or neurologist consultation occurred. A transfer to a medical ward was mentioned but never happened. When I asked for a transfer to Monash Hospital, I was told she was not “sick enough.”

The senior doctor was unprofessional, patronising, and dismissive, repeatedly telling my mother she had to leave because “other patients needed the bed” while offering no actionable steps for her recovery. Nurses insisted she couldn’t walk unassisted due to fall risks, while the doctor told her to exercise independently. At one point, the doctor recklessly claimed my mother had brain damage from her medication—a statement unfit for a geriatrics specialist.

Basic care was appalling. My mother often waited hours to be taken to the toilet, and when forced to use a bedpan, it was improperly positioned, leaving her in a wet bed. Staff then labelled her incontinent. The few compassionate staff members couldn’t make up for the overall neglect and apathy.

We decided to take her home rather than subject her to aged care. We renovated our home to be accessible, and I quit my job to help my father care for her. On her first day home, she walked with a stick—something she hadn’t done in months at Kingston Health. A private neurologist has since adjusted her medication, and she is improving.

This experience affirmed what many reviews state: Kingston Health offers no real rehabilitation. It operates as a holding ground for patients being pushed into nursing homes, raising questions about financial incentives for such referrals.

If you care about your loved one’s recovery, DO NOT send them to Kingston Health. They failed my mother at every turn. Her progress is solely due to our intervention and private care.

Carice W.

My Father has recently been discharged after three weeks at Kingston Centre. From day one until the day of discharge the Nurses, Doctors, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, cleaning and food staff were outstanding. They were attentive, informative and empathetic. Their constant hands on support and advice were more than we could ask and we are deeply grateful. It is a shame that the facility is so dated and is in urgent need of an upgrade, however the quality of the staff and care provided shone through. Thank you to South 6 ward.

Deb

Pretend to care but don’t. So many terrible things happened to Mum. They stopped her rehab when she was doing ok $ talks placement in aged care is just another incentive for them. Won’t go into more detail as I will get too upset. This should be forwarded to the Commissioner & Health Department. Disgusting unclean 🤢 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

tanya W.

My dad was admitted here not long ago, he suffered multiple mini strokes which caused some damage and memory issues on top of that he was there for them to help him with his balance and walking. He was doing fine using his walker but then they stopped his physio without informing us. He would have constant falls every single day. We would visit him and he would be drowsy, he could never hold up a conversation he would fall asleep in between and even when eating he would fall asleep on his food.. When asked about his medications they said they were not allowed to tell us. we should have the rights to know as his family. He complained about feeling dizzy all the time. We would find BIG bruises all up on the side of his body from all the falls he had. They told us he needed 24/7 around the clock care but never implemented that there they just neglected him and pumped him with medications. He ended up back in hospital because he fell THREE TIMES IN ONE DAY. He damaged his hip and now can't walk. He is better off at a hospital than this "rehab" place. This place needs to be shut down. Absolute disgrace. My dad went into rehabilitation to end up back in hospital with further injuries than coming in.

Rebecca M.

First impression of the building it was old and depressing looking but the staff’s professionalism and care they took for my mother was exceptional.
She was there for 3 weeks and the effort they put into her discharge and ongoing care at home was fantastic. Made me feel like I had support ongoing and they were very thorough with organising at home care support.

Judy S.

I am writing about my own experience in the Kingston Centre, not that of a relative. I am 66 years old. After my strokes, the Centre gave me wonderful advice from an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a dietitian, a social worker, a neuropsychologist, a physiotherapist, and a doctor overseeing it all over the last 4.5 months. They all contributed to my recovery and well-being so far, and I feel very grateful to them.