Reviewing Midwives?

[DivaSkyChick]

Is there a website where mums can review their experiences with specific midwives? I can find lots of information reviewing various hosptials based on specific data and I realize that reviewing midwives would probably be more subjective.

Would public review provide more incentive to treat women with courtesy and care? And wouldn't it be great to be able to rave about mws who deserve it?

Same with Doctors, really. Although with NHS I'm not sure if you can avoid someone just because you've heard they are horribly insensitive or downright nasty?

Would there be legal ramifications to 'naming names' - even if the stories are first person and the namer is also named?

Just curious.

Interesting thought. Did you have a bad experience?

We could post the worst here as a start (without names as that could get litigious??)...

My midwife with DS2 gave me an episiotomy without any anaesthetic - which I could forgive as there sometimes isn't time - but didn't even do it on a contraction. To add insult to injury she then stitched me without any anaesthetic - I wonder what I had said to her when in labour to upset her so much

You can choose your Dr in the NHS can you not? There are certain consultants in my trust I wouldnt let loose on my dog!!

They should have the same thing they do on websites like holidays uncovered, like nhs uncovered where you can say what you like good or bad, how much better would that be

I officially complained about my vile midwives, got a shitty, lying response, but later joined a committee at the hospital specifically to get to the head of midwifery, who confessed that as a result of mine and other complaints the night midwifery staff had all been compulsorily been moved to days so they could be properly supervised and given on the job training. I think it is worth making an official complaint. The hospital will cover its back and send you back a letter that will be so full of lies it will probably make you cry, but behind the scenes it may make a difference. I still fantasise about them all dying a slow and painful death though.

Given that academics are allowed to be named and reviewed on ratemyprofessor.com (an American site but has UK bits) I don't see why ratemymidwife wouldn't be allowed.
(Just as long as you don't have a section on whether or not your midwife is hot )

Sounds like perhaps something should be done then. And no, I haven't had a bad experience and I'm not planning on it, but I'd like to think I have some recourse should it happen.

Perhaps I'll email the mumsnet ladies and see if they have any interest or thoughts on the subject. They've just gone thru some problems with "she who can't be named" so they are probably up on the legal aspects.

Thanks for your thoughts, ladies!

anyone interested in getting involved in the way maternity services are run at their local hospital can go to the maternity services liasion committee meetings...i don't know if they are called that nationwide...

but i imagine there is an equivalent, and women who have used the services, or are going to be using them or are interested in the way they are run can go along.

the head of midwifery will be there , as will various other professionals from the hospital

No I dont think its a good idea because people hear what they want to hear, a lot of the time.
And what constructive good will it do? It's very easy to blame people for things you decide but aren't happy with. That is why I think proper birth afterthoughts is useful- to go through what really happened, with someone not involved, with the notes, to clear up the different perceptions of events and apologise if necessary.
Also think it could be quite a problem on the litigation side of things to name specific health workers-dont think they'd be too happy in mumsnet towers

(some words taken from someone elses mouth but exactly what I think too)