To complain about midwife

[LG123]

Sorry for the long post. I've post this in the pregnancy section too but thought I'd get a range of opinions.

I have a new midwife now as I've moved areas but anyway here it is.....

My last midwife made a referral to social services (this isn't what I'm upset about) and I've had the assessment, they're happy etc and have closed the case.

I got my report through the post yesterday and wow let's just say the midwife went to town on me and made me sound horrendous. I was reading through the reasons for the referral and can categorically say that they were just untrue.

She made me out to be an alcoholic drug addict, and that this had made me have liver difficulties (I have never had liver difficulties and I have never taken drugs!). She said I had history of cocaine use (not true) and expressed concerns that my drug and alcohol use could have a harmful affect on the baby, as if I was still drinking during pregnancy etc. I gave her no reason to think this - I haven't had a drink since New Year's Eve (before I even knew!) and I told her this when alcohol use is bought up! She proceeded to say I had a chaotic upbringing - we didn't talk my childhood and I most definitely did not! I left home at 16 and partied a bit as you do when your young but prior to that I had very good upbringing!

To top it off when she told me why she made the referral this was not in her reasoning!

I would love to know where she fabricated this all from and SS could obviously see that I was making good preparations and not drinking or anything!

To see what she said about me was really hurtful and kinda made me angry as it's just simply not true!

I'm half tempted to complain!

I don't understand why you even consider not complaining about it.

If someone wrote incorrect info about your child would you just leave it because you've never complained before.

I suggest you put your complaint in writing as well and be very clear regarding the inaccuracies.

Really I'd be complaining to the practice manager...not another midwife who is her peer.

I’m surprised social services would release that information directly to you like that, without even sitting down and going through it with you, considering the information is so sensitive. Definitely follow it up, not just the midwifes report but also the actual release of info. As if it’s untrue it needs to be redacted, otherwise like others have said it could make a stain on your health record and cause issues in the future. You don’t want it following you around.

@Jackyjill6 definitely, all my bloods have come back fine, and surely if she was going to state to SS that I had liver difficulties then should damn well should have told me.

@SandyY2K just wandering whether anything would actually be done about it...

@Newmanwannabe I am surprised too, I had been given some info on why she had made referral when I sat down with the SW but nothing like the report said, I was horrified to say the least!

The midwife went to town with false information and totally exaggerated my young adult life! She must be high almighty to think a someone in their late teens/early 20s shouldn't be going out having fun and partying a little. Holy shit, maybe I should have just gone to church!

Does the SS report make it clear that the medical accusations are false?

If so she should be reprimanded / the mistake investigated. If not you need to get that corrected.

Either way...

I would write to your practice manager / trust / whoever staying you want a copy of all information the hold on you as you suspect some of it may be incorrect due to the above. If the report says she's given them false info say you want this investigating at this point.

You can then demand that the data is corrected (quote GDPR?).

Once corrected, write to SS and correct any inaccuracies in their data.

Like several pp I'd wonder if she put the wrong name on a report. I'd follow up, to get it all corrected.

I would definitely complain, and the approach I’d take would be:

‘clearly this is someone else’s report, and our names have been mixed up in error. I consider this a breach of the data protection act and have serious concerns as to the professional capability of a clinician who would give me private medical info about another patient so carelessly. I of course expect an investigation into how this has occurred and will wait to make a formal complaint against midwife until the outcome of this investigation is communicated to me. I expect my records to be amended to show that this report is patently untrue, to maintain the integrity of my medical record. I look forward to a resolution swiftly as this is stress I would prefer not to be dealing with during my pregnancy’

And send it to the midwife and her manager.

Even if you think she thinks all this about you, if parts are completely untrue you need to approach it like there’s been a grave admin error and express your displeasure. It’ll put the wind up them and get it sorted faster than anything else, they’ll shit themselves at a breach of the data protection act (which states records must be accurate) and the midwife will shit herself knowing a formal complaint is coming her way and get it sorted quickly.

Sorry you’re dealing with this.

What LyndseyKola said. Write exactly that.

Not quite the same thing but I had a work capability assessment for mental health a few years ago when I was on ESA, when I got the report it was just complete lies, he’d literally written the opposite of what was said in several cases. I remember how infuriated I felt to have just completely wrong information on an official report. Definitely complain, but yeh take LyndseyKola’s tack first and see what they come back with.

Definitely seems like mixed up reports. I'd be just as concerned for the other mother and baby who need help and rectifying your own file x

This can happen a health visitor once told my new midwife I was a recovering drug addict and she asked me how I was getting on. I think my face said it all and as we were at my GP surgery the doctor who had known me all my life got involved and confirmed there and then it was complete bullshit.

Turned out the HV was having some kind of relationship breakdown and other problems and took a dislike to me when I disagreed with her about something.

Has she confused you with another person? That person would need support, not judgement and negativity. Report her. No one made her judge and jury. O

Definitely, definitely challenge it! You do not want that on your records.
You might find AIMS and/or birthrights supportive with the process.

I would first make an appointment with your GP to get to the bottom of this and to make sure the correct information is placed on your medical record.

I would also complain about the midwife, but this needs to be to her employer, who won’t be the GP practice. Depending upon how services are organised in your area in might be your local hospital. They should certainly be able to tell you.

At best it’s an error, but at worst it could be deliberate. Something that would be a significant professional issue.

Absolutely you MUST complain... In writing... As someone else said - this information will hang around for ever otherwise.... I worked in social services... If we saw this about a mum, it would colour how and what we assessed....

I was mixed up with someone else at uni... (Woman, similar appearance, from same county). It only came to light due to an indiscreet clerk... Otherwise I'd have no idea why I wasn't getting jobs as this would have been included in reference.
So....
This... With knobs on... :

‘clearly this is someone else’s report, and our names have been mixed up in error. I consider this a breach of the data protection act and have serious concerns as to the professional capability of a clinician who would give me private medical info about another patient so carelessly. I of course expect an investigation into how this has occurred and will wait to make a formal complaint against midwife until the outcome of this investigation is communicated to me. I expect my records to be amended to show that this report is patently untrue, to maintain the integrity of my medical record. I look forward to a resolution swiftly as this is stress I would prefer not to be dealing with during my pregnancy’

Please do not persuade yourself into not complaining or doing it verbally.

Absolutely complain.
This abuses data protection, safeguarding and information governance.
I would complain to PALS personally as well as your practice manager, in writing.

Definitely complain, very unprofessional. How awful for you.

@AreWeDoingThisNow - no and liver difficulties weren't even mentioned in my assessment and although the report states they're are no current lifestyle concerns, it does seem that what the midwife said was taken as gospel.

Thank you everyone. I will be making a written complaint, it's infuriating. In my pregnancy notes - it says the exact opposite!

I wod complain to her professional body to, the General Nursing and Midwifery council, or something like that.