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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to move hospitals?

12 replies

PizzaLegs23 · 08/09/2014 15:28

I requested a C-section at 12 weeks and was told they'd give me a second opinion at 30 weeks. At 30 weeks I was given the Spanish inquisition by a locum doctor at the hospital who -despite very good personal reasons and agreement from my GP and my gynaecologist that a section would be best for me- said "the only way you'll get one now is if you see a psychiatrist". Ive transferred my care. Angry

OP posts:
cailindana · 08/09/2014 15:31

YANBU. Why did he say you had to see a psychiatrist? Sounds like a pompous arse who was lording it over you. Dickhead.

PizzaLegs23 · 08/09/2014 15:43

Agreed cailindana. He was an utter prick. I told him I knew the reluctance to give me one was money related, he didnt like that either. I told my gynae and he told me to get the hell away from them and go elsewhere. Could have done without all that hassle for the past 20 weeks and now being at a further hospital but the care will be better I am assured.

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 08/09/2014 16:04

TBH, they are technically not far off following NICE guidelines on the subject.

The guidelines for maternal requests are very much about psychological reasons and the advice to offer counselling.

Virtually all hospitals will try and put you down this route - and ignore the significance of the word 'offer' (meaning you can refuse) part of counselling advice. This is because hospitals are not obliged to follow the guidelines (some are actively ignoring it completely and have blanket bans on maternal requests) and are interpreting them in various different ways.

There is actually no reason to get offended by the suggestion of a psychiatrist - in fact I think you are being slightly wrong in your attitude by getting angry about it in the way you are. Hospitals think they are following the guidance (and justifying a maternal request CS in the correct manner to their superiors due to politics of CSs) by doing this.

I think changing hospital you may therefore may well come across the same issue. It really depends on which individual consultant you see, and their attitude to the whole subject. The truth of the matter is there is such disparity of care with regard to ELCS, that the situation is it can equally be an individual consultant that is the problem or the hospital policy and from a patient's point of view it can be virtually impossible to tell which is the obstacle as there is little transparency on the subject.

The important thing to know is that the guidance also says you are entitled to a second opinion if a first consultant refuses to perform a CS. At 30 weeks you have some time but not much to get this resolved. Changing hospitals may in fact make it more difficult because you aren't 'in the system' with them and it may take time to see a consultant and then there are no guarantees they will tell you any different. In someways it may be better to stick where you are and either go along with the referral and argue your case through that, or to ask to see another consultant.

I feel for you, as there is no easy solution to this, but I do think you have to understand the politics that are going on here. Politics that are not interested in women but are based on ignorance, pressure to reduce CS rates and guidelines that aren't properly understand in why they were introduced in the first place and the reasoning behind them. There are some consultants who are being really difficult and indeed unprofessional about the whole subject. It shouldn't be like this, but it is.

Good luck it trying to get it sorted though. I've seen only two MNetters who ultimately don't get an ELCS if they really wanted one. Many have had to really battle to get this though.

PizzaLegs23 · 08/09/2014 16:22

I'm booked in and all with a compassionate doctor, something the other hospital was lacking. I don't want it on my medical record that I was (needlessly) seeing a psychiatrist before I even had the child. It was a very bizarre "offer" from a hospital that is never out of the news for wasting resources. I don't need a psychiatrist, just a decent doctor with a knife and anaesthetic will do fine, thanks Grin

OP posts:
deakymom · 08/09/2014 16:30

you should go to my local hospital they tried to induce me then when things were not going fast enough told me we dont have enough room on postnatal ward for you so we will just give you a csection instead plenty of room on post op ward! i was horrified i changed hospitals i didnt want surgery just my baby!

hope you get what you want soon x

RedToothBrush · 08/09/2014 16:32

Pizza, I personally refused counselling. I need support from staff and to be able to trust them and feel like I was being listened to.

I do however find your attitude about not wanting it on your medical record that you were seeing a psychiatrist, no matter how needless, offensive though. It suggests you have a certain attitude about mental health issues which is mired in stigma and shame.

If there is no issue, then thats all a psychiatrist would say on your medical notes afterall...

sparechange · 08/09/2014 16:52

RedToothBrush,
There are lots of legitimate reasons the OP might not want sessions with psychiatrists recorded on a medical record that have nothing to do with any prejudice towards MH issues...

Don't underestimate the amount of non-medical bodies, such as insurance companies, that will trawl through your medical records and then use aspects of it as a reason to refuse cover/inflate premiums.
There are also countries which will want to see your medical records before granting you work visas.
Also things like applying for a gun licence will get knocked back if you have a record of MH issues. Being referred to a psychiatrist could be a legitimate reason.

I had an issue a few years ago after being given ventolin for the first and only time in my life, after a running race on a very hot day and that being recorded on my medical records as asthma treatment. I subsequently had restrictions applied to some insurance I took out.

PiperIsOrange · 08/09/2014 17:06

I think using MH services on those who don't need them is an awful waste of NHS time and money.

Some people wait months for these gold dust appointments.

WooWooOwl · 08/09/2014 17:08

You do have the option of paying for it yourself.

RedToothBrush · 08/09/2014 17:40

Don't underestimate the amount of non-medical bodies, such as insurance companies, that will trawl through your medical records and then use aspects of it as a reason to refuse cover/inflate premiums.

Insurance companies DO NOT have free access to your medical records. It is very misleading and wrong to suggest they do.

sparechange · 08/09/2014 18:42

They don't have free access, but you can be asked to grant them access as part of the application or policy.
I've had to sign forms giving insurers access to my medical records, and I've had special conditions imposed on a policy as a result of what they've found.

RedToothBrush · 08/09/2014 20:43

slow handclap

Lets add to the stigma... lets scaremonger... lets spout bollocks.

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