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Pregnancy

No midwife

11 replies

strawberrykate · 03/02/2010 19:14

:-(
I'm 25 weeks and yet to meet the community midwife.
Luckily I've had some hospital appointments (From previous area I lived in until I was 11 weeks) but since I've moved the doctors treat me like the first pg woman they've met. No they don't know where appointments are, or the name of midwife, or the number...etc. Useless. I went in and asked for a copy of my booking form (GP did it) and on Tues I'm physically taking it to the clinic near me. I really suspect they just haven't faxed or posted it like they claim as clinic don't have a record of me! For MatB1 I've booked a hosp appt meanwhile (lady was nice and said as the other borough haven't dealt with me they'll see me unitl they do). It's not the same though as it's out of area and a different person each time. Has anyone else had useless GPs?
Even worse, I have high blood pressure (or did) and I'd like to know if it was a one off or something to monitor! I asked nurse at GP and she just told me to cut out salt!!!! It was 100/60 or less up until then, and no I haven't been imobile with a salt lick for the 3 weeks since it was 90/55 so I THINK it could be pregnancy realted...

I'm ranting.

But it helps.
I'm a bit fed up really.

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BexJ78 · 03/02/2010 19:20

Hi

could you ring the local hospital's mat unit to see if they could advise you? don't know what else to suggest...sorry!

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strawberrykate · 03/02/2010 20:36

I have,
they all send me to each other in repeatuve circles. The weak point I think is the GP surgery not doing intial paperwork.

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BexJ78 · 03/02/2010 20:40

That is really bizarre, but not great for you at all. is it a little rural surgery? you would think any surgery would be used to dealing with pg women!!

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strawberrykate · 03/02/2010 21:19

It is a 11 room surgery in London!! Their website claims that they HOST the antenatal clinic. They deny this (wtf?)and say it's at neighbouring clinic.
The 3 receptionists just gossip and look at me like I'm an alien, the Nurse is rude to me (long story to do with Eastern European surnames, USSR hang-ups and the wrong end of the stick) and the doc was more interested in why her computer had frozen (after a 40min wait for her to fiddle with it). I saw another GP the same day (old GP at other surgery when picking up test results) and he was disgusted that they hadn't given a urine test to a pg woman who had a bp of 170/95 or booked a follow up (being less stressed and without 40min wait in over-heated room it was 140/90 with him). The nurse asked my husband outright (same as her nationality) how he could marry someone of my nationality in his check up!

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BexJ78 · 03/02/2010 22:06

Nice!
hope you get sorted soon. it sounds like a total shambles. if it doesn't get better soon, i think i might feel a complaint coming on....

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Georgimama · 03/02/2010 22:12

You need to stop fannying around with this useless practice and telephone the chief executive of the Primary Care Trust and the head of midwifrey at the nearest hospital trust first thing tomorrow morning. It is not good enough - you've had no 20 week scan, no triple test, no blood and urine monitoring and no antenatal classes. What a bloody shambles.

I'm sure you're really fed up and a bit defeated but you should be a lot angrier. And if you can't get any sense from the head of midwifrey and/or the Chief Exec of the PCT, telephone your MP's secretary at the House of Commons - the last resort of the desperate but surprisingly effective. You need action.

My flabber is ghasted by this.

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Georgimama · 03/02/2010 22:12

In fact, would you mind telling me what London borough you live in? I'll find that info for you.

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weegiemum · 03/02/2010 22:16

Can I just point out that little rural surgeries are often best at this sort of thing as they have the time and inclination to help. My dh is not surprised at all that it is a huge city practice that it treating you so badly!

(proud dw of a fabulous small rural surgery GP)

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MumNWLondon · 03/02/2010 23:01

I first saw midwife at 28 weeks (other than booking in appointment) and what a palava to make an appointment. Took about 8 phone calls.

She then told me off as I didn't have the results of my booking in bloods... (I mean whose fault is this - there for not sending it to me or mine???) I had turned up for my anti-D injection and she then said she couldn't give it to me as she didn't have my blood test results to confirm I was Rh-!!!

I have had all ante-natal care with the GP. Its great - my GP is lovely, I never have to wait, I see the same person each time. I can book the appointment online for a time that suits me and I trust her judgement.

Only went to the midwifes as GP said she couldn't do anti-D. Will only go back to midwifes for 34 week check, plan to go back to GP for all the rest.

Sounds v frustrating but I think you need to go and see GP (find sympathetic one) and rant to her/him.

Some of the comments though esp the ones about nationality are worthy of a complaint.

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missedith01 · 04/02/2010 09:19

You have my sympathies and I agree with the previous poster that the only way to get it sorted is to start knocking heads together.

My experience has not been as bad as yours but basically every appointment I have had with midwifery with the exception of one I have had to chase up myself. (I'm now 33w). They will leave you to your own devices if you let them, and nothing the GP does seems to have any effect - I had to chase up my booking visit, even.

TBH I'm so fed up I'm at the stage where they'd only have to give me a funny look and I'd complain. You must have a sweet and saintly temperament.

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strawberrykate · 04/02/2010 19:14

I've phoned the hospital directly for an appointment there (I had scan there) and they've been ok with letting me attend (during the consultant for other borough led time but with a mw). To be fair they are pretty helpful-but it's the GP that doesn't do their end. The hosp. needs the booking form and the midwifes apparently ARE BASED AT THE SURGERY!!! It's the community midwife that's the issue.

Thank You for the kind offer Georgimma, but today's call to the hosp. was useful and they will update at the appt. I've booked on Tues. It's sad my old borough have been so helpful even though I no longer live there (and they know this), yet my new are so useless. Old borough said they will see me until new sort it out as I'm a high risk too.

MumNW- I agree about the nationality, but I fear i's been too long (nearly 6 weeks). I was a bit too emotional at the time to deal with it effectively (prob would have just cried on someone). Even more stupid is I'm not even of the ethnic group she thinks, despite nationality.

Weegiemum-I agree totally. Lived in rural area of Wales previously.