very upset pregnant lady- rant alert!!

[ellie1275]

Hi girls,
apologies for this thread but I just needed a rant!!! I just spent over two hours in a very hot waiting room full of pregnant ladies, standing due to lack of space and had to deal with what I think is the most rude and useless receptionist I think I have ever come across!!!
I feel that since being pregnant I have been treated badly!!! read on!
Do you think I have been treated badly??
my booking appointment was with a trainee who got everything wrong- didnt book my scan, put me at wrong hospital, made appointments with wrong MWs, didnt refer me for cervical scan (as have had loop diathermy(?)) , wrote info down incorrectly, held onto my hand held notes and lost them (need I go on!!??)
anyway since then I feel like it has been hard work! I eventually found my notes- having had to have bloods done twice as they lost all the results, noone knew my blood group either and noone told me about any antenatal classes or that I needed to bring in urine samples.
after my second visit I got referred to the consultant and told that I would need to be monitored closely- I wasnt told why- when I saw the consultant he had no idea why I was there
until I went to my next appointment when he actually read my notes and said you should have had a cervical scan which he then put me in for- but I was told by the recpetionist that there were no appointments so I couldnt have it. I had to go home wondering what to do??? I then had to spend all morning on the phone to a mw trying to sort it out- I got an appointment but then the consultant requested he needed to see me to discuss the results- again I couldnt get an appointment- so I had to wait until someone contacted me- which they did about 2 weeks later and gave me an appointment- if I had needed treatment it would have been a little too late dont you think!???? (as i was already 8 weeks overdue for the cervical scan!!!!)
anyway I had a similar prob today!
the consultant wants to scan me at 28 weeks and he wants to see me in that week so any action needed can be taken- but no appointments so I am again left waiting!
matters have been made 10 times worse by the fact that the receptionist is the most stupid person ever!!!!!! I sat and listened to her for 2 hours today and she was not able to answer a single persons questions or book a single appointment without having to leave the room and go and ask someone else what to do- there was a q of about 10 pregnant women standing waiting for her assistance! she was so rubbish the mws kept coming in and taking over, asking if people were here. she was also extremely rude to one lady who asked where the room was that she needed to go to as she couldnt find it and the recpetionist just barked 'over there' at her in a sort of 'are you stupid' voice. the girl still didnt know where to go (obviously) so the recpetionist just left what she was doing with me and walked miles down the corridor to take her, in a huffy way!
anyway i actually could go on and on and on and on because there is no end to the mistakes these people have made and the sheer incompetence of these people.
that said, the consultant is lovely and so are the midwives! I just think there is a severe lack of communication in the NHS!!!!!

rant over- sorry girls!!! feel free to ignore it!!!

 

[trinitydm]

Awww....that does sound really crappy. I hope the rest of your pregnancy/appointment go a little bit better for you!

 

[QTPie]

Welcome to the NHS...

You get some great staff and care, but you get a few awful ones too and a LOT of streeeeeeeetched resouces

A woman, who gave birth at my local hospital, told me that she got kicked out of the hospital within 24 hours of her C-Section (this was a month ago)

QT

 

[purpledahlia]

oh dear sounds v stressfull. I have to say i barely have one complaint about the NHS care ive got, so lets not say its the NHS fault!

I think, its the receptionists!! completely!! I think she doesnt know how to do her job by the sounds of it, Whenever ive gone into the hospital ive never had to q up iv always been first in line and there was lots of seats for ladies to sit. If she knew how to do her job then there probably wouldnt of been a q 10 people long!

I would write a letter to the hospital to complain about her... say what shes done wrong and how shes not helped you once.. also of course add in all that you said above about appointments etc, but if you make the appointments via the receptionist then again its her fault. She will probably get either re-trained and a warning or maybe worse. But def let your hospital know whats happened!

 

[bekkie]

no need for apologies - it's good to vent! I hope your experience gets better - I'd be angry too!!!

 

[dani_tinks]

Awww my goodness hunny that's just terrible *hugs*
I work in the NHS and I have to say that that is just AWFUL and you have every reason to be angry, id never treat our patients the way youve been treated and I think its really unfair. I hope things get better for you sweetie. xxx

 

[QTPie]

oh dear sounds v stressfull. I have to say i barely have one complaint about the NHS care ive got, so lets not say its the NHS fault!

The NHS is SOME AREAS then!

In my area, for instance, they have cancelled all dating (12 week scans) because of lack of sonographers. The midwives are always flustered and keep forgeting what they are talking about etc...

It is often not the fault of the people who work for the NHS (as I said above, some are wonderful), but the fact that some NHSs are seriously underfunded. Still we may have a severely underfunded NHS in this wealthy city, BUT we have the most amazing (hugely over budget) thermae spa here

QT

 

[ellie1275]

thanks girls almost feel better already..........and relax

 

[EmmanBump]

Oh dear hun, thats sounds awful
Hopefully theyll get a kick up their backsides and the rest of your pregnancy shall be fan-dabby-dozey

 

[purpledahlia]

wow, yeah i guess in some areas are different. Im in central london so maybe have more funds. I am moving to a not that great an area and im really scared the level of care is gonna drop dramatically. It does sound like this one receptionist does make matters worse tho... underfunded or not i would complain about HER, not her resources. thats up to th hospital to sort out, but she needs re-trained on customer service. im sure much nicer receptionist could take over and make things a lot more bearable!

shocking about the 12 week scan cancelled. thats why imglad i was down here for the 20 week one as im not sure if in the area im going to get 20 week ones. terrible!

 

[ellie1275]

yeah Im defo going to write and complain about that woman!! I took a good look at her name badge today! Im seriously tempted to go private next time! as I looked into it and its more affordable than you would think!

 

[ellie1275]

my friend lives in the Bristol area and they dont do 12 weeks scans and havent done for year- you have to pay to get a nuchal scan if you want one!!! just shows maybe Im lucky living here!

 

[QTPie]

yeah Im defo going to write and complain about that woman!! I took a good look at her name badge today! Im seriously tempted to go private next time! as I looked into it and its more affordable than you would think!

I doubt it is too late to go private with this one, if you wanted to... (especially at the moment - recession - I think that some are less busy).

Purpledahlia, it is shocking that some areas are much worse than others... I think that even London can vary a LOT (from what I have heard about), but you are fortunate to have some great maternity care in London too

For me healthcare should be each area's top priority... with education running fairly closely behind... unfortunately some areas have other ideas... . Still at least we have some good state schools in my area - grateful for small mercies, I guess...

QT

 

[T-Bex]

If you have to see the receptionist again, thump her.

Only thing left to do - blame it on the hormones

 

[QTPie]

my friend lives in the Bristol area and they dont do 12 weeks scans and havent done for year- you have to pay to get a nuchal scan if you want one!!! just shows maybe Im lucky living here!

I live down the road from your friend (Bath - although, NHS-wise, it is seperate from Bristol). I did actually end up with a dating scan ont he NHS (there must have been a lot of complaints because they arranged for one of the private clinics in Bristol to pick up the appointments). Yes, we have to pay for the Nuchal scans here too.

I think there really is a lack of communication from the NHS here (about scans, ante-natal classes etc), I am just very glad that I am a very "clued up" person who researches everything off my own back... if I wasn't then things would be very different. The only way, I think, to get the most out of your birth/pregnancy is to read up and take control yourself and REALLY push for what you want...

QT

 

[ellie1275]

If you have to see the receptionist again, thump her.

Only thing left to do - blame it on the hormones

LOL

 

[ellie1275]

my friend lives in the Bristol area and they dont do 12 weeks scans and havent done for year- you have to pay to get a nuchal scan if you want one!!! just shows maybe Im lucky living here!

I live down the road from your friend (Bath - although, NHS-wise, it is seperate from Bristol). I did actually end up with a dating scan ont he NHS (there must have been a lot of complaints because they arranged for one of the private clinics in Bristol to pick up the appointments). Yes, we have to pay for the Nuchal scans here too.

I think there really is a lack of communication from the NHS here (about scans, ante-natal classes etc), I am just very glad that I am a very "clued up" person who researches everything off my own back... if I wasn't then things would be very different. The only way, I think, to get the most out of your birth/pregnancy is to read up and take control yourself and REALLY push for what you want...

QT

I agree-I need to take control (I have been in denial for a while and didnt want to read up as Im terrified of losing this one too!!!) I am safe in the knowledge that I am quite clued up 'biologically' too as Im a science/psychology teacher. I feel so sorry for the naive teenagers or the women who just dont know what's happening to them
I think sometimes my knowledge can be a hinderance though- as I know too much about what can go wrong!!!!!

 

[purpledahlia]

If you can afford to go private then you should,Or try to change hospital??
London - yes there are VERY different areas and very different levels of care, im at chelsea and westminster hospital though, very central, all the rich people live central ( not me, but i live in a rich lady's house! ) so maybe that why its bit better... its expected to be!
the area im moving too is very nice, its just much smaller, only one hospital for about 3 diff area's, stuff like that. i cant choose hosp... theres only one option so i have to hope its ok. but there are some good state schools in that city, so thats the main erason for me to move there. Its a diff area from my prents, about 25 mins away. but the schools are better,i went to the private school in the are but i cant afford that unfortunately!
It is a bit of a postcode lottery!

 

[QTPie]

I agree-I need to take control (I have been in denial for a while and didnt want to read up as Im terrified of losing this one too!!!) I am safe in the knowledge that I am quite clued up 'biologically' too as Im a science/psychology teacher. I feel so sorry for the naive teenagers or the women who just dont know what's happening to them
I think sometimes my knowledge can be a hinderance though- as I know too much about what can go wrong!!!!!

The most important things are to know what is available to you and what your rights are. Personally I try to avoid reading too much about what can go wrong: I read enough to know what to look for, but try not to read enough to worry me .

If you have the money and you want something - that you are having real trouble getting on the NHS - then find a way to get it privately... There are a LOT of options out there: private duolas, private midwives, private ante-natal, private scans and labs etc. and up to private hospitals.

It is a real shame that many women feel the need to pay for certain things privately (and that this level of care is not available to all ), but it is becoming increasingly common and if it is important to you (and you have the money) then it is an option worth considering. Being pregnant (and having a child) can be traumatic enough without poor treatment adding to it.

Purpledahlia, are you staying with C&W for this birth (or do you have to change hospitals before)? I know that they have their faults too, but it is supposed to be an EXCELLENT maternity facility.

I agree, it really is a postcode lottery for some things...

QT