Akeso Pietermaritzburg

• Comfortable and casual clothing (bring everyday wear that is appropriate for groups, relaxation and light exercise activities)
• Nightclothes, slippers and dressing gown (for sleeping only).- Nno pyjamas are allowed to be worn during the day.
• Medication. Please bring all medication you are taking and hand it in to the nursing staff. You may NOT keep medication with you.
• ID book or drivers licence
• Medical aid card
• Main medical aid member’s ID book
• Toiletries.  Please bring personal toiletries but take note that any sharp objects for example nail clippers, razors, scissors, and electrical appliances such as hairdryers or straighteners, will be locked away at the nurses’ station when not needed and must be returned immediately after use.
• Bath and hand towels. We do not supply towels, only linen.
• Cigarettes.In keeping with the new laws, we do not sell cigarettes on the premises, so please bring your own.
• Money. We advise that you bring about R350 to make calls from our public phones and to purchase cooldrinks from the coffee shop should you wish to use this facility.
• Pen and notebook

• Valuables
• For security reasons, we advise that you do not bring anything of value such as jewellery, electronic equipment such as cellphones or laptops, or large sums of money. Akeso Pietermaritzburg cannot be held liable for items which have been mislaid or stolen.
• No alcohol or illicit drugs. Due to the nature of the facility and the programmes we run, please do not attempt to bring any of these items onto the property. Akeso Pietermaritzburg reserves the right to immediately discharge you if you do not adhere to this policy.

Weapons In accordance with the Act on firearms, we do not allow any firearms, ammunition and/or any other weapons, including but not limited to teargas, pepper spray, knives, etc. to be brought onto our property at any time. Also note that we do not accept responsibility for such items. Rather hand in firearms at your closest police station.

Due to the nature of the conditions that we treat at our facility only immediate family of our patients are allowed to visit. We also reserve the right to determine who can visit during an admission period, based on what is deemed to be therapeutically best for a patient. Our visitors area is very limited so only two visitors per patient are allowed.

We ask that visitors respect the fact that Akeso Pietermaritzburg is a psychiatric hospital and a ’quiet one’.

General psychiatry unit

A maximum of two visitors per patient is permitted.
Visitors’ names must be put on our visitors list for security purposes.
Visiting hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 19:00 to 20:00
Weekends and public holidays: 14:00 to 15:30

Dual diagnosis unit

A maximum of two visitors per patient is permitted.
Visitors’ names must be put on our visitors list for security purposes.
Visiting hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 19:00 to 20:00
Weekends and public holidays: 14:00 to 15:30

No visitors on Fridays

Our programmes are very intense and we ask our patients to take time-out on a Friday evening to reflect and process their week.
Recreation activities that have therapeutic value are often available to our patients on a Friday evening.