the saga of shit pg care continues, out of steam

[redwellybluewelly]

I've posted here and on the pregnancy boards before, I'll also post this in the SN section.

My first pg was amazing but ended tragically when the doctors refused an induction despite baby in critical state. DC1 was born with brain damage and two years later has cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder, we have a legal case and a good chance of winning.

So. Fell pg with DC2 in autumn last year, extremely happy but anxious about care in the pregnancy.

Asked for MH support at booking in, MW referred me to GP.

GP didn't refer me to MH but to a sympathetic consultant based at the same hospital who injured my child previously due to negligence.

After much faffing about and miscommunication I met consultant at 20weeks.

Consultant lovely. Rang as soon as he got my notes to apologise for the poor care we had first time and promised to be an advocate for good care, understood my extreme anxiety (walking past the delivery suite makes me throw up) , offered to try to get our previous paed team in theatre with us, offered elective CS or a chance to be monitored in late pg. All good.

Then. He referred me back to GP for MH support.

At 22weeks after talking it over i opted to have an ELCS and rang consultant secretary to ask to book a date. I heard nothing. I chased the following week and the week after.

At 26weeks i rang again asking to speak to the consultant about arranging a date. I explained it was critical to arrange a date where we could then arrange care for DC1 who has medical needs due to the brain damage caused in my previous delivery.

Im now 28 weeks. I've heard nothing at all.

Saw my community MW today and sobbed about how worried i was, she was shocked by the lack of communication. She rang the consultants secretary who told us that my CS date was booked and confirmed, and she also flatly refused to pass on any messages to the consultant as he doesn't take personal calls.

We cannot do the date I'm booked in for. Not only that but where is my choice that was promised? Where is the handling of my anxiety? The Community MW said sure as shit is shit that my messages carefully explained had never reached my consultant.

I was promised choice. I was promised understanding and sensitive care.

Moving to different hospital is simply not an option, we have one huge teaching hospital and nothing else.

What the fuck do I do? I fight medical battles with the system on a weekly basis for my DC1, how can this be ok?

Speak to Head of Midwifery or a Supervisor of Midwives and see if they can help. Someone needs to bypass the secretary and speak to the consultant themselves to see how this can be resolved (it may be that this date was chosen as that consultant would be available to operate etc, but surely as you are on ly 28 weeks the dates can be changed.

So sorry to hear you are having such a shit time again. Have you got any further appts with consultant - can you see him at antenatal clinic etc?

Can't offer any advice redwelly, but can offer hand holding and hugs.

From experience of dealing with medical secretary's sometimes becoming a pain in the arse is the only way to knock them down. Phone as much as you can during the day - email if you can look it up on the hospital website. Become the person they sigh at when you mention your name - and possibly get your midwife to try as well.
I work in a medical setting and know some can be really mardy hardwork.

Good luck x

You could email the consultant directly? Depending on what email system the hospital uses, it would be pretty easy to work out their email.

Also, you are 28 weeks, and while your anxiety is understandable, there is time to sort out a date that is convenient for you, your consultanat sounds understanding and supportive so this can be sorted out.

Please do complain about his secretary - Passing on messages is exactly her job, despite what she thinks. It is not personal, it's medical, and therefore not within her scope of knowedge or qualifications to decide what should and shouldn't be passed on. Also, your midwives should be able to contact him/her directly and easily - don't let them fob you off either, they should advocate for you.

Midwives cannot contact the consultant directly - his phone is routed through to the secretary, we've both tried that one. Also my CMW contacted the AN clinic to get a colleague she knew to go to his office - no joy there either.

I don't think its just anxiety, I'm also very angry that I should have to be jumping through these hoops. My first child was left with a brain injury and was in a coma after birth due to nobody listening to me and we were promised that the hospital team would work with us to restore our faith and trust in them this time around.

They're not doing very well. My consultant knows the back story and should never have booked the CS without discussing with me first. This is all very wrong.

My MW has managed to get me in to see him in 2 weeks, but I need the date now to start arranging childcare for a child with seizures and communication issues (that this same hospital injured) - I can't just knock on the next door neighbours door in a few months time!