To make a complaint to the hospital?

[1990shopefulftm]

Long story short, my waters broke and I was left for 36 hours before being induced by drip due to staffing issues, whilst experiencing high blood pressure during this time.
My son was then born and developed suspected sepsis and I then developed it myself. I ve been in hospital now 5 days post labour and have been on the same blood pressure medication throughout that time, needed an iron infusion after the iron tablets they gave me didn't work and I ve needed antibiotics.
I ve been quite distressed in the hospital at times due to experiencing parts of early labour alone and things not going to plan.

They ve refused to let me be discharged last night as planned due to a high reading but have made no medication adjustments, am I justified in making a complaint with the combination of factors in my early labour leading to this and for the hospital not thinking that my mental health could be the reason for my blood pressure issues?

@JacobReesMogadishu how shocking your hospital has 300 nurses and midwives off due to Covid at present. Is it possible to clarify that please? I assume they are off awaiting a test result or because they are self isolating due to being in contact with Covid.

[quote OhTheRoses]@JacobReesMogadishu how shocking your hospital has 300 nurses and midwives off due to Covid at present. Is it possible to clarify that please? I assume they are off awaiting a test result or because they are self isolating due to being in contact with Covid.[/quote]
A combination, either waiting for test results as they have symptoms or they’re having to isolate because they’ve been in contact with someone who is positive (outside of work). I’d say most of the staff affected are mums of small kids who are coughing. I assume the kids get tested and then once they hopefully get a negative result they could come back, but a lot of the kids are testing positive.

@SilverStarburst i m so sorry about your mum that's awful. It shouldn't take all that to get better pain management.

Thank you for all your replies. I will be speaking to PALs by email and may then go further as I wouldn't want another mum to go through what I have.

I ve spoken to a consultant who has agreed to discharge me, they believe my blood pressure was pregnancy related and should correct itself so have a short further course for that and then a gp review, I also have some strong oral antibiotics to take.

The consultant took my mental health concerns more seriously than other staff have so I can't say there haven't been good people in this awful experience. I m certainly going to look into counselling after some weeks as I don't want to end up with PND/PTSD or similar after all this.

I hope you start to feel better really soon OP. Take it easy, having had a birth like yours and a straightforward one it does make a difference so don't put any pressure on yourself.

Congratualtions on your birth.

PALs are good at communication and will help you in the right direction and will ensure you're complaint or suggestions for future postive care goes in the right direction.

I try encourage some patients to contact PALS when I believe their treatment/surgery etc needs it. As it's a great way for wards to improve and create best practices.

Complaint about hospital via PALS and then also CQC. I'd also ensure GP knows. Absolutely they made choices that endangered the life of you and your baby.

Definitely. My first was finally born 81 hours after my waters broke and had a nicu stay because of that. I also ended up rather ill as I had a fever, hallucinations and blood pressure all over the place by the time he arrived. I wrote a feedback letter once I felt well enough to do so covering both the positives and negatives.

Glad you've spoken to the Consultant OP. Personally I think you should concentrate on being home and enjoying your baby rather than starting a complaint about what happened in hospital. You are both OK which is what really matters. If it is still upsetting you in a few weeks, complain then.