Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

to think 8.20am is a stupid time for a hospital appointment?

88 replies

faintpinkline · 03/01/2012 11:17

I'm pregnant and have been told I need consultant led care because of my history. I've received the appointment letter for 8.20 on a Monday morning. I already have one child who needs to get to school and dp won't be there as he works away during the week. Obviously at 8.20 I'll be dealing with getting dd to school. Also I don't drive and the hospital is miles away - even if I could get there I'd need to leave about 6.45am to get there by bus so getting child care for Dd would be nearly impossible

I phone the hospital, explained the situation and they said that's fine we'll send you a new appointment. I've just received one for 8.20 on the Tuesday morning - strangely the same situation applies. I phoned again and was told "most women prefer early appointments and the consultant can not change the appointment again to suit you". I told them DP was back on Thursday night so I could do Friday morning as a possibility only to be told that the consultant only works Monday to Wednesday. I asked to be transferred to a different consultant which is apparently not possible either.

Sorry for such a long post just really upset and I don't want anyone knowing I'm pregnant yet either so hard to ask friends for help.

OP posts:

kritur · 03/01/2012 11:20

I had physio this morning, my appointment was 8am! And I have a 4 wk old baby which they know because it's physio for birth injury. Thankfully I drive so it was ok.

altinkum · 03/01/2012 11:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pigletmania · 03/01/2012 11:21

Could a friend not take your dc to school? I do agree it is too early, just because other women like an early appointment does not mean everyone does, they should have some flexibility imo.

Meglet · 03/01/2012 11:21

yanbu. That would annoy me too. They must have appointments at other times. My consultant appointments were always mid afternoon.

Can't you get a taxi this once though?

lesley33 · 03/01/2012 11:21

Do you have someone who can look after your child and take them to school for that 1 morning? And then get the bus? I know its not ideal though.

tbh I preferred early appointments like this pre children. It made the impact on work far less and did make my life easier. But it is different when you have school age kids.

gordyslovesheep · 03/01/2012 11:24

it would be ideal for me as I could go without needing time off work - see we are all different and the NHS cant cater for everyone - it is a alittle unresonable not to offer you a different time BUT get a mate to take your child to school.

HappyMummyOfOne · 03/01/2012 11:24

Ask friends to help, you dont have to tell them exactly why. YABVU to moan about the hospital, you get free healthcare which other countries would love access to.

Flisspaps · 03/01/2012 11:25

I don't think YABU.

Original poster

faintpinkline · 03/01/2012 11:26

They know I can't drive - the major reason I'm under consultant is epilepsy and a previous still birth. Will probably resort to taking a taxi. sorry I'm so grumpy got awful morning sickness symptoms without actually being sick - rushing to the toilet and retching violenty because it feels as if I'm about to be all the time

OP posts:

Original poster

faintpinkline · 03/01/2012 11:27

Not sure you could do it without time off work since appointmetn letter says appointment likely to take all morning

OP posts:

Rollersara · 03/01/2012 11:27

I love early appointments as I can get to work on time and there is space in the hospital carpark. I don't think the problem is early appointments, it's the lack of flexibility. I would happily swap the 11 am appointments I get stuck with for 8 am onwards!

Angelswings · 03/01/2012 11:28

So he only sees women at 8.20 on three days a week, that's not many appointments!
Agree you can ask a friend you trust, but also think a call to PALS could help if your hospital has Patient Liason Service. The NHS is free, but must be useable!

Gumby · 03/01/2012 11:28

Do you or dp have parents who could stay over the night before & drive you to the appointment or take dd to school?

LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/01/2012 11:28

I think you are being a bit picky to complain (though I see why). But it is ridiculous then to give you the same time another day! That would annoy me.

I guess someone has to have the 8.20 appointment, and who would you rather it be? It's going to be some pregnant woman, probably in similar circumstances, isn't it?

catsareevil · 03/01/2012 11:30

Can you phone and try again? Sometimes these things depend on how helpful the person you speak to is.

Realistically though with hospital appointments you might have to take what is offered.

Original poster

faintpinkline · 03/01/2012 11:30

Angelwings I have a feel he has a clinic that starts at 8.20am and makes everyoe wait in a long queue to see him :(

OP posts:

Angelswings · 03/01/2012 11:31

Knowing its going to take all morning puts a different slant on it....

Hogmanayhoneyblossom · 03/01/2012 11:31

The school run is not a 'lifestyle' choice as one poster said. They should fit around this- make a formal complaint if they don't budge.

Lueji · 03/01/2012 11:31

Worst case scenario, I'm sure your DD could miss school for part of or the entire morning.
Not sure why the hospital won't offer other times, but it could be assumed that they are not intent on making your life difficult on purpose.

startail · 03/01/2012 11:31

A pita for child care, but the best to have.
After too much experience of the fracture clinic I can assure you early appointments rock.
The later the appointment the later everything's running and the more emergencies have appeared.
Later appointments equalled an hours more waiting about.

CharminglyOdd · 03/01/2012 11:31

Do you still have a Patient Transport Service in your area? Since you can't drive for medical reasons you should qualify.

rootietootie · 03/01/2012 11:32

YANBU, unless the consultant only has one appointment a day (i.e. at 8.20) then it is not unreasonable to think that they could give you a later slot. The NHS is not a free service as people like to think, we bloody well pay our taxes which in turn pays for the NHS.

Dirtydishesmakemesad · 03/01/2012 11:33

I had this in my last pregnancy it was an urgent appointment i could not really rearrange i ended up taking my 5 year old with me and then droppign her off at school afterwards (so she went in at around 10) the school was fine with this when i explained - would this be an option?

ShatnersBassoon · 03/01/2012 11:37

You should call the hospital back and explain that you need to use the transport provided by them. It's there for people like you.

If a friend can't take your daughter that morning the school will understand if you need to bring her in late.

Original poster

faintpinkline · 03/01/2012 11:38

I think I'll have to try to find another way of getting DD to school.

a) she does not know I am pregnant
b) She does not know I had a still birth before and they are sure to talk about it
c) I hate hospitals anway so don't want to transfer my hate of it to her

I think school do have a before school service from 8am so I could try dropping her off at that then trying to get a taxi to get to the hospital as close to 8.20am as possible - would be a very expensive solution though

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4