Good morning! Fab news about the scan MrsA and Knitter
Our NT scan went well (sort of). The scan itself showed a thin fold or thin amount of fluid - however you phrase it. The sonographer thinks it will come back low risk.
However The NHS messed up and never told me that if I chose the NT scani t wasn't funded so as I left the clinic they asked me for £170. Mortified! I had to pay it because she explained, actually, they aren't even part of the Countess of Chester Hospital, it's just a private clinic that does no NHS work.
The midwife who told me I couldn't have both NT and Quad tests because the NHS won't pay for both was talking crap and the receptionist who was supposed to give me the number for the Countess of Chester actually gave me the number for a private clinic. I was livid and embarrassed. The sonographer was really embarrassed but insisted I pay. I got out of the clinic and called the community midwives who fobbed me off. I asked why I was told I had a choice of two scans but never told I'd have to pay for the NT. She said I should have been told there was a charge but said "if you go for private tests you do pay" - I didn't know I was going for a private fucking test, I thought it was under the Countess of Chester Hospital. I pointed out that at £170 a test, the NT scan isn't actually a choice, we'd have gone with the quad test.
I complained to the head of the hospital antenatal clinic (which is where I got the telephone number of the clinic). She was very apologetic, said it shouldn't have happened. She's going to find out who the community midwife was and who was on reception in antenatal clinic and call me back today or Tuesday. I did ask why they would recommend a specific clinic if it's private. If I had known I was paying and wanted the test then could have gone to a scan place in Warrington and paid £120 for the same test (closer to home/work etc and cheaper). Interestingly the sonographer at the private clinic was also an NHS sonographer so my mum has a theory that they're helping out their "friends". I am not that suspicious. They better refund me the bloody scan cost.
So that's this months mortgage payment short. No idea what the hell I'm going to do if they refuse to pay me back.
Other than that, I am quite cheery, a private scan was lovely but not worth £170 unless you considered yourself to be particularly high risk or wouldn't miss the money.
Lovely weather here today so I am going to relax in the garden today with DD. Independent midwife coming tonight - excited, nervous...
Will look out for more updates from you all.
Have a lovely day!