Lanes Midwives - Waiting List

[snoopy28]

I am just wondering if anyone is in the same boat as me?

I'm 16 weeks pregnant, when I first found out I was pregnant I went to my doctors surgery at Dulwich Medical Centre and when I asked what the next step was the doctor referred me to King's Hospital midwives where I had my first booking appointment. The midwife at King's said I had probably been referred as my GP surgery didn't have community midwives, she said to check with the surgery to make sure and if not I'd have shared care between the hospital midwives and a GP for check-ups.

When I checked with the GP surgery it transpired that I should never have been referred to a King's midwife and they had a full team of community midwives attached to the surgery - Lane's Midwives. However because the doctor did not add me to their appointments list straight away, the Lanes midwives are now full up for July 2010 birth's so I have missed out on the opportunity of having a midwife I know and trust when I go into labour.

I have been added to an over flow list and am seeing another midwife but when it comes to labour I'll just have whoever is on duty at King's, I was so so disappointed with this as if I had been sent to Lane's and put on their list from the start none of this would have happened. I think I'm just a very nervous 1st timer and feel let down. I'm sure that when I'm in the throws of labour I won't mind who is looking after me but it would have been nice to of have the continuity of care. Does anyone else have the same thing of not knowing the mid-wife they will go into labour with at King's and they are with EDM centre? Thanks for listening, a worried hormonal mother to be!

[Belle]

Hi,

don't have the same thing but did have to switch (to the Lanes from where I'd been in N London, after moving) midwife care at about 20 weeks. Initially I was told the same thing by the Lanes but it was specifically regarding home births - in the event the person who told me that had been wrong anyway. It might be worth you double checking with them just in case? I remember feeling very upset but also, this was regarding home births - there had been no question about whether they could take me on or not, and that was later in the pregnancy. I think (if you are minded to) it might be worth also complaining to the practice manager as that's quite a big oversight not to refer you to the midwife team actually attached to the surgery! Could it have been a locum you saw? Basically - make a fuss! It might be worth it (if you feel you've got the energy to do it - know it couuld well be the last thing you feel like doing).

[Sanne Panne]

I'd throw a fuss at the surgery... it just doesn't seem right that patients who were registered with the DMC from the start of their pregnancy could be denied access to the Lanes midwives because of a doctor's mistake. It may be worth looking up the direct phone number of the midwives (maybe someone on the forum can pm it to you) and explain your situation to the lead midwife (is it still Erika?) - maybe she can do something on her side. Good luck with it!

[craigy]

It is unfortunate that this happened and certainly worth investigating at the surgery as to why it happened but also consider that the caseload teams such as the Lanes only take a certain amount of women each month so if they are full they cannot take you on regardless of how much of a fuss you make. They usually work on the ratio of about 3 women to every midwife each month so maybe only take 18 women a month which is why you have to get in there literally from the moment of conception (especially round here)

[Monkey]

When I found out I was pregnant, the DMC made me put my name on a list which was never passed on to the super-efficient, highly-organised Lanes midwives. It's only because a forumite told me to chase up the midwives that I called them and got put on their list. I was about 10 weeks pregnant at the time I remember - looks like I was lucky. Annoying that the midwives are let down by inefficiencies of the DMC. I would write to the Head of the Practice if I were you.

[nikki73]

I also had problems with DMC. Had a friend not explained that there is only a small window in which to do the scan I would have missed out on the opportunity to have my nuchal. If you have time, you should complain. It seems to happen too often.

[ludoscotts]

It is a huge shame and dissapointment for you seeing as you were at the dmc but other surgeries dont have this service and it was all fine. Im at the surgery, lordship lane and with that doctors you go to see the same midwife throughout your pregnancy so feel comfortable and happy with your midwife but she isnt there when you go into labour. She only does your check-ups! SO I was left with the situation of you get whoever is on duty when you arrive at kings.But you are right when you are in the throws of labour it could be the easter bunny at that end and you wont care as long as they know what they are doing and all the midwives that I saw at kings were lovely. (very different to the nurses/staff that you will see when you go for your scans so dont worry if they seem rushed and a bit brusque when you go to this dept)ALso if you want to put your mind at rest very early on go for a tour round the dept, Think it is mon eve's but you can go and take a look at the labour ward, meet some of the midwives etc. Found it helped me feel a lot better about it all and dont think you have to wait until a certain point in your pregnancy to do this.

[Smiler]

snoopy28, that is really bad, complain in writing to the DMC practice manager and to the Lanes midwifery service (they should be made aware of the problem). You never know, making a fuss may mean that you are prioritised if space does become available on the Lanes list (e.g. if someone moves out of the area before the birth).

[snoopy28]

Thanks everyone for your messages. My husband spoke to the head of the surgery and explained that we were disappointed, they have said I'm 4th on the waiting list. Ludoscotts - didn't know you could do a tour of the labour ward - that sounds like a great idea and think I'll definitely do that as will put me a bit more at ease and then it won't be so scary when it's happening for real! And like you say a good opportunity to possibly meet some of the midwives as well. I'm sure all will be OK. With my second (if we still live in ED) at least I'll know the procedure and can get in early on the list!

[Smiler]

They also do waterbirth talks at Kings if that is something you're interested in.

[linzkg]

When i was pregnant the first thing i did was look for midwives - my doc surgery at the time was absolutely useless (!!!) I secured my spot with Brierley midwives - updated my doctor at the time. I changed my doc shortly after then to the Forest Hill Road Surgery who are attached to different midwives but its never been an issue at all.

Surely grabbing a midwife is a priority and worry about your GP afterwards? Sorry to sound a bit hasty but otherwise it seems your doc (who does nothing really during the pregnancy) is almost controlling it?

[dingading]

Hi snoopy28 unfortunately the exactly same thing happened to me. I'm so annoyed about it, cannot believe that just because someone's mistake I can't be with Lanes Midwives. I'm now looking for other options as I didn't hear anything good about being left alone at King's.

[linzkg]

Brierley midwives! They're also attached to Kings so get pref treatment apparently .. they are lovely and you get to meet the whole team (generally) so if you go into labour and your midwife isn't available at least you don't have a stranger with you ..

[sparkle]

I'm sorry you've not got the situation you want. Please be heartened that you can have a good experience with a midwife you don't know at King's! I was with the Lane's, with the hope of having the whole continuity of care thing, but they had just started and weren't able to attend births at hospital (Which is waht I wanted) but were just doing home births. They started this whole system they have now the month after I gave birth! Initially I was gutted, but then actually quite liked the idea of having someone else, who would be there whilst I was in labour, then I wopuldn't see again walking down the street in the weeks and months after! For all my births I had whatever midwife was on duty at the hospital. All were fine. If you don't like the midwife you get, you can ask to change (get your partner to do it!) Also the hospital do ante natal courses, you may meet some of the midwives there?

[Steph]

Snoopy 28 - I am registered with Lanes and have had several mid wife appointments cancelled because they are just so busy. Given the choice, I would probably rather visit the surgery for reliable appointments than have to re arrange my plans all the time only to be cancelled at the last minute. I am 30 weeks and have only been seen once and I guess will only be seen twice more until the birth so I dont think the mid-wife and I will be firm friends by then.

On the other hand, with my first child, we had whoever was on duty at Kings at the time. The mid wife we got was wonderful and made the whole experience easier to deal with and calm, we couldnt have asked for more. I honestly don't think it will make too much difference when the times comes..

Good Luck

[tomk]

The fabled Lanes Waiting List strikes again! I called DMC at 8 weeks and had an appointment with Erika (who was my midwife with my first two children); today DMC called and cancelled that and said I was now on a waiting list. I have been referred to Kings and will have antenatal appointments at Dulwich Hospital with a temporary midwife who is taking the overspill from DMC. I am now over ten weeks and have to say that DMC seem to be too big to cope with the demand in East Dulwich. They even did the referral over the phone to book the 12 week scan. Does anyone have any thoughts on St Thomas's or any other London hospital within a reasonable birth commute of East Dulwich?

[craigy]

tomk- i don't mean to be rude but why would you want to move hospital if you cannot get in with the Lanes? if you went to St Thomas' which is the nearest after Kings you would either have your antenatal care in the hospital there and have to travel up or in one of the clinics that they do that sees out of area women which i think are either in waterloo and kennington. on the day you would just have which ever midwife is on duty at that time and postnatally be followed up by the kings midwives so it would all be lots of traveling hassle and no additional continuity of care and there is always the risk on a 3rd baby that you may not get there in time....

if you have had Erika for your previous 2 births and got on well with her why not phone her directly esp if you have already seen her in this pregnancy.... it seems a little strange that DMC are managing the appts as it is usually the midwives that manage their own caseload and appts....

[tomk]

Yes I know what you mean. I hadn't yet seen Erika on this pregnancy as the Midwives Asst called me today to cancel because of their caseload and it was her that referred me to Kings. My husband said I should call direct but there are two women ahead of me so just hoping now for the quick delivery you described!