Reviews of UCH - people who've had miscarriages and diabetics please

[tigger15]

So I decided after my not wonderful labour and post-natal experiences with ds not to return to st mary's. I'm type 1 diabetic had a c-sec want a vbac and after research decided to go for uch as they let you go for one extra week before they induce/cut in my case.

So I had the pre-conception appointment got pg about 6 months later and called up to book in and mentioned I was type 1 diabetic. I got an appointment for when I would be 9 weeks at 8am which I thought brillant. I get there and am sitting through this frustrating midwife session in which she is telling me what happens at each stage and I'm saying but this didn't happen last time what about this and that test and she says well I don't know about diabetic pregnancies. She eventually goes to ask her superior and they go into all panic stations that I should have been seen by doctors and must come back on the next day to see the doctors. Obviously I was not best pleased as it I didn't want work finding out until it was a bit further a long.

I come back the next day see doctors who want to see me 3 times in that week because they haven't managed to see me till that point. I negotiate this down to one phone call and an appointment the following week then I started bleeding.

Before returning the next week I went to the EPC had a scan and had it confirmed that I had had a miscarriage. They informed me that I needed to come back to check that all parts had been removed and they would tell all obstretic parts that I no longer needed my appointments.

A week later I receive an invitation to attend a GTT. (Personally I found this amusing as this is the one condition I can't get!). So I called up to reinforce the message that I would not be needing pregnancy appointments and asked them to ensure they are cancelled as I didn't want to waste NHS time and money. They apologised and said it would be done.

I turn up for the appointment to confirm that all tissue has gone to find they've cancelled that too. Cue burst into tears and get seen that way. It hadn't gone and they decided to do an ERPC. After talking me through the local anasthetic procedure I point out that if they want me to fast I'll have to adjust my insulin and they go into full scale panic and insist I must have it under GA 3 days later.

They then call me up the next day and say it's more convenient to them to have it the next day.

I go in. They spend 90 mins trying to find who I am because they're looking for me under my first name and then my misspelt surname. Eventually get it right then more confusion as they argue whether they need to put in a sliding scale or bump me up the list as apparently should have been done in the first place. The consultant then informs me that despite having been told I could go home same day they want to keep me in that night.

They bump me up the list do the ERPC and I escape a couple of hours later having controlled my insulin throughout GA procedure so still don't see why they refused for the local.

So obviously that was all unpleasant and not very impressive from their side but I was prepared to give them another shot until this week 3 months later I'm called by a midwife to ask why I haven't attended appointments since June. I explained and she apologised but I'm becoming quite concerned that their basic system is so poor. Once you get to consultant level it seems to work but getting there takes time and the lower levels have been so inept. Has anyone got any reassuring stories about them or am I right to be worried and when I hopefully manage to get pregnant again should I just go back to st mary's where at least the antenatal care was very good?

[Dragonfly73]

i at currently being seen at UCH and have had a marvellous experience with then. I have had a bookign in appointment with the midwife who also arranged for me to see the consultant (blood clotting issues and recurrent miscarriage). I had my NT scan last friday and when they detected a problem immediately arranged for me to have a CVS. They would have done it there and then but couldnt becuase i take Heparin injections daily and needed to miss a dose for the procedure.

I have found the midwives to be fabulous and generally the level of care i have received has been amazing. So good in fact that even though Hubby and i are moving to Guildford in a months time we are going to stay with UCH for our care (we both work in the city so it will still be convenient)

I am so sorry you have had such a bad experience generally and at UCH in particular. Ironically i had a terrible experience at St Mary's trying to be seen by the recurrent miscarriage clinic. The clinicians were fabulous. I cannot speak highly enough of Prof Regan and Mr Rai but their admin team was appalling. I waited for 2 months just for a phone call to be returned.