What shall i do?

[Keef]

Bloody good news that you're okay!

(where do they get their rceptionists?!)

I think this is a universal trait of health receptionists (generalisation I know). To be fair, I guess they have to deal with all sorts, and everybody probably thinks their situation is more urgent than the next person's. BUT, a bit of kindness towards a person who is clearly scared and traumatised, would not be so much to ask.

Don't want to go in to painful memories, but I hope I will never have to step foot in Lewisham hospital again! And people think Kings is bad, try there, and you'll be forever thankful for Kings!

[Ko]

just seen this! oh poor you fuschia! what a dreadful day you've had. i hope everything is okay. get plenty of rest. xxx

[Belle]

So glad all ok Fuschia, but really shocked by the lack of coherent service you got and by how hard it was for you just to find someone to see you - ridiculous that it should be so difficult! You poor thing. And v annoying re the midwives not getting back to you, can well imagine that you'd like to have it all sorted. would it be worht tring the Brierley just in case they have any cancellations - you never know...

[Fuschia]

I've called DMC to make a complaint. You would think by now the midwives would have my message from this morning, the GP's emssage and would have called to apologise and check everything is alright.

[apenn]

Hi Fuschia,

So glad you were able to have a scan and that everything is OK. Unsurprisingly, sounds like there have been some admin errors in getting your appts etc. In my experience, that's always the problem with the NHS. Admin is terrible, but once you get your appts the care received is always great. If you have time, do register a complaint so they can investigate why your appts have fallen through the cracks and it can be rectified. Also in my experience, they are pretty good about investigating complaints.

-A

[sillywoman]

Poor you F, what a horrible thing to happen. So glad to hear baby is OK. Please keep on with The Lanes Midwives, despite the crappy start. Don't let them off the hook though, they should've contacted you to arrange an appointment by now. I know they're busy, but make sure you don't slip through the net.

[Fuschia]

I've lost confidence in them totally now.

Not only have I left multiple messages on their machine over the last few weeks, this morning I was literally sobbing and begging them to call me. It just seems totally unprofessional for them to not respond at all.

[The Nappy Lady]

F,

so relieved you are OK, rest as much as you can.

M

xx

[Belle]

I know they hadn't done your booking in yet but they'd seen you and sent you for a scan so they should really have responded to the messages. Realise they're busy so people who are not yet patients will be lower priority but I think you shouldn't fall into that category. And as you say you were clearly upset on phone etc. apalling admin. It's a shame as they're such nice midwives.

[Mellors]

Really sorry to hear about all this Fuschia. I know what a dreadful time it is, and am very glad everything is ok. I do hope you get some rest. Shout if you need anything - we're all here for you! x

PS I would go mental at the midwives if it were me - unacceptable. It also makes me worry how on earth anyone who isn't as able to fight their corner as us (e.g. not got English as a first language, young and inexperienced with the system etc) every gets decent care. Shocking.

[prm]

Fuschia, so glad to hear you & baby are ok! Totally agree with you about receptionists, when I have been for my scans at Kings the research fellows have been absolutely wonderful but the receptionists are quite rude & unhelpful. I don't care that they have to put up with a lot of rude people etc. Especially for anyone who works in healthcare being kind/empathetic/supportive to patients should be mandatory and top of the list...no excuses.

[buggie]

Glad all is ok with bubs.

I was told from the off with my midwives (oakwood) that anything like this should be immediately ref up to hospital (makes sense in a way - if your concern is that there is a potential you could lose the baby then nothing they tell you on the phone will reassure as much as taking direct action and attending EPU and having a scan - first trimester can be v difficult even for mw to listen with doppler - which could then cause more stress).

I was finally given my midwives pager number last week as having hit 25/40 bubs is now seen as viable - they deliberately don't give the number before then as they want anything before then to attend hosptial for full check up asap.

While not liking hospitals/dr's, it can be worth biting the bullet (and leaving you feeling bit more in control) than the stress of trying to get hold of midwive/gp for help and still being told to go in.

Fingers crossed though this'll be a one off and you'll glide through now (hope car feels better soon too!) x

For anyone else in similar situation would def advice going straight to EPU mon-sat rather than A&E - you'd get as far as the triage nurse and then sent to EPU as there's all the specialists there. Out of hours, you'd be seen to check nil signs of anything needing emergency treatment (ie eptopic pregnancy - which EPU check for with the scan) but would still need to attend EPU for full follow up.

[pebbles]

Oakwood must have changed their policies as i had no.2 with them and was given their pager number at my booking in appt.

I know we have to give midwives a break as i can't imagine how busy they must be sometimes HOWEVER there is no way not one person didn't hear these messages and therefore to not respond - even just to say we can't do anything go to hospital - is appalling.

I don't know whether you can change F however I had phenominal service with Oakwood and they always responded - the hv however are a different matter!!!!

[Ann]

Glad your feeling better Fuschia. At least you did scanned today and have the assurance that your pregnancy is safe.

As far as I'm aware, NICE guidelines state that pregnant women should be 'booked in'by 10 weeks. This would mean you have a set of pregnancy notes, have booking bloods taken and a 12 week scan. It sounds like you've had the latter but not the former, but you notified DMC at 5 weeks so there was no delay from your part.

It worries me that you state you are on blood thinners. No doubt you are a healthy woman but I would have thought the fact that you have an underlying medical condition would make you a priority for early booking; the midwives should have seen that.

Good luck with your pregnancy.

Ann

[amydown]

I think the Lanes team is let down by the admin team who are responsible for relaying messages and booking people in for first appointments. Once you are allocated a midwife team though, they are absolutely fantastic and the midwives do respond do every single pager and mobile phone messages no matter how busy they are from my experience.

No excuse for what happended to Fuschia I know but I just wanted to make sure there was a clear distinction between the failure of the admin staff vs. the midwives.

Hope you are getting plenty of rest Fuschia and wish you all the best.

[Fuschia]

Ann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> It worries me that you state you are on blood

> thinners. No doubt you are a healthy woman but I

> would have thought the fact that you have an

> underlying medical condition would make you a

> priority for early booking; the midwives should

> have seen that.

Yes, that's true. When I filled in all the forms I told them I am on heparin etc (had a DVT in my first pregnancy and pre-eclampsia in my second and have a clotting disorder) and I am sure that is partly the cause of this bleeding.. the EPU also said the placenta is at the front so I guess it took the brunt of the seatbelt.

I must say the receptionist at DMC was very good, she couldn't get the mw team on the phone either but she saw a mw on the way out and went to talk to her, but all she said was to go to a and e. The GP I spoke to said they would get the mws to call me (but to go to EPU in the meantime)

Then I spoke later to the same receptionist and expressed my disgust they hadn't even called to check I was OK.. she said she'd get the practice manager to call me (though apparently the mws are independent) but noone called back.

I don't want all this to upset me all the more, but it is!

I did try to get booked in at the joint obstetrucs/specialist haematology clinic they do for women with clotting issues, but the mws at Kings said they couldn't book me in as I was down as being with the Lanes. So I have had no luck being seen by them either. It's all totally stupid.

[KatsuQueen]

Hope you are feeling better about things now, sending you lots of good vibes.

[buggie]

to be fair to the surgery - would be very surprised if they would have called to check all was ok, if you imagine how many patients they ref to hospital/specialities every day it would be nearly a full time job to call them all back and check how things went - plus (knowing from asking my family members how appts have gone!) non-medical people very often don't give as much information as would be needed to make sense/have very poor recollection of consultations (I read up lots on this last year when doing a nurse practitioner course - the cohort of one study typically remembered correctly less than 50% of everything discussed within a 10 min consultation - and know I'm as bad - after a knee inj I forgot to ask my consultant if it was ok to return to work!)

Thus GP letters are generated from all A&E attendances detailing diagnosis/tests and results/follow up arrangements and sent on to the surgery and I know EPU/MAU do similar, as well as clinic letters written by the Dr's when seen in out pt's which then give the GP all the information they would need/follow up with.

[Keef]

Also, it is very easy to blame admin for everything, but a lot of NHS admin are just as overworked as the medical staff.

[Fuschia]

buggie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> to be fair to the surgery - would be very

> surprised if they would have called to check all

> was ok,

What I meant was, the midwives had my message in tears early yesteday morning, the midwife who was on her way out to do a visit at 9am was stopped by the receptionist and asked what to do, then the GP left them a message at lunchtime asking them to contact me. I do feel they should have got back to me yesterday. If I don't hear from them today I think I will complain to the PCT. I am still bleeding and am having pains as well and even though the baby looked Ok on the scan, how do I know if I am going into premature labour, and who am I supposed to ask?

[The Nappy Lady]

F,

First of all I want to say that I really feel for you, and am so sorry you are going through this.

I agree the midwives should have been in touch with you by now, it is bad. However, the sad truth, which I know from harsh experience is that neither they, nor anyone else will be able to tell you whether your pains and bleeding are something to really worry about or not....this early in pregnancy they just don't know, and can't do anything other than wait and watch (though given you are on blood thinners it would be good to have some advice on that I must say - did they advise yesterday?). I know of people who have had quite heavy bleeding for the first 3 months or more but have still had a full term viable pregnancy.

Seeing the baby was OK on the scan yesterday is a REALLY positive thing though, and I'm sure the bleeding and pains are going to settle down and all will be well. You do need to try to relax though - I KNOW that is easier said than done, but stress isn't going to help - do you have any Bach's Rescue Remedy you could take? If need be you can go back for another scan tomorrow, or next week if it would help to reassure you.

Hang in there honey, I totally understand how awful it is, and how all consuming the fear is. Give your twins a big cuddle and keep faith.

Molly

xx

[Fuschia]

I have had a call from the practice manager at DMC who has been to speak to the midwives who said they can't get back to me until the end of next week due to staff holidays!

So I am going to make a formal complaint to the PCT, and will be using independent midwives.

I'm not stressed now, though I am angry at their lack of professionalism. I had a lot of bleeding in our twin pregnancy, but I was getting good care (via the EPU and independent midwives/Kings antenatal) and I never had to contend with this sort of administrative incompetence and general lack of concern.

[Belle]

It does seem really unfair when you did it all by the book and got in touch with them v early on as well. From memory - did you have an independent midwife with the twins? In which case you know what you're getting so sounds like a good plan - but it's a shame that things didn't work out with dmc/the lanes. God around here - what with primary school places and huge midwifery caseloads, it's all a bit stressful having kids!

[Fuschia]

Belle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It does seem really unfair when you did it all by

> the book and got in touch with them v early on as

> well. From memory - did you have an independent

> midwife with the twins?

I did, because I couldn't get in with any community midwives at all, I was 8w before I tried and everybody was full. This time I was at the Drs at 5 weeks to make sure I would be alright... but unfortunately it seems not! I really do have a sort of phobia/PTSD thing going on about hospitals and doctors and it filters through to any medical professional I have to deal with who can't seem to remember who I am and deal with me properly.

I wouldn't want to book with them now. But it's not right I have to pay a lot of money, just to get proper care.

[Smiler]

Fuschia, really sorry you're going through all this stress. It is bad enough experiencing these things without problems accessing services.

I've had the runaround from the NHS at times, and similarly been tempted just to shell out a fortune for private care, but personally have found that with enough persistence it does usually prove possible to get the care, though it shouldn't be that way. Also, sometimes through complaining they do listen more and make arrangements. I have sometimes got Mr Smiler to make calls, chase things up etc. when I have got overly upset with it all - he is less emotional and good at being assertive!

It seems to be the Lanes' and the DMC GPs' policy to advise women with any bleeding, pain, accidents, concerns etc. in the first and second trimesters to go to Kings (EPU or the maternal assessment unit depending on how far along). I think that they should make this clearer and give people the contact details, times etc. for the King's services right at the start of pregnancy.

Not sure from your messages, but did you get the "standard" 11-13 week scan / tests? If not, perhaps the Harris Birthright Centre can schedule a scan.

The EPU also remains an option in the week. It is rubbish that the EPU sometimes turn women away - is so horrible not knowing what's happening and having to wait for a scan - suppose they must just have a set amount of appointments each day and they run out quickly after 8.30am. A nurse there said to me once that there're hardly any "walk-in" services of this type in London, so people come from all over, meaning that the King's service is overwhelmed.

There are regular ante-natal clinics at Kings, which might be somewhere to talk to a specialist about your medical history, medication etc. I was there recently at about 18 weeks 'cos of being on heparin - the midwife referred me and was seen within the week, but no doubt GPs can refer there too, and it might be much quicker to see a GP and get referred by him/her than waiting for the midwife to come back from holiday (grrr).

Really hope that you get some follow-up soon and are OK.