Actually, I would say that it doesn't matter who is more senior in this case.
I think who is more senior can actually depend on the hospital rather than the position, since a consultant midwife role can differ between hospitals, and although normally a consultant would have a more senior role, it would depend on the remit of the consultant midwife.
In my case, it was a consultant midwife that made the decision, and effectively told the consultant. I didn't even see the consultant until the pre-op to go through the risk. The consultant midwife was in effect the decision maker and the one that wielded the actual power administratively, whilst the consultant was the clinically more senior. I don't believe that is the case everywhere though.
But as I say, I think its a mute point in this case.
Someone who is senior enough to make the decision, has done so and has informed you about this, and its on your notes. They are medically qualified to make this decision. As far as you the patient is concerned, you had been relived and that the pressure and much of your anxiety removed by that.
You have ALREADY changed hospitals over the issue and this in itself should show your intent and how serious about the matter you are. You clearly have done so on the basis on your mental health.
If the consultant has not acted within the proper structure of the hospital, then that is frankly a staffing and potentially a disciplinary matter, which you should not get caught in the middle of to the detriment of your mental health. Their turf war, if there issue not yours. That is HUGELY unprofessional and against the ethics of 'doing no harm'. This has obviously pulled the rug from underneath you, led to unnecessary anxiety and distress.
If the 'box ticking' is about your physical health then this is fair enough, but this should be properly and clearly explained sensitively and it stressed that, unless there is a serious issue this is a formality. Again it should be stressed that their ONLY concern is your health, and not their procedures. Box ticking is not a sufficient excuse under the circumstances to change your care plan at this stage. You categorically should not be left hanging - the process of hoop jumping, is actually one of the things that is actively creating your anxiety. Their actions are part of the problem.
With regard to your rights. You do NOT have a right to a CS on the NHS under the NICE guidelines. Previous posters are completely correct in saying the guidelines are just guidelines. However you DO have a right to the most appropriate care for your health circumstances. This means that if your mental health is a serious case, you may well have good grounds to stake a claim for a right for a CS on those grounds. As in, the best way to care for you and preserve your mental health is to perform a CS and you therefore have a 'right' to a CS.
The difference is subtle but important. If you are going to make a case, you need to stress this and you need to stress that the handling of the handover has been detrimental to your health.
If you can frame any case in these terms it makes it a lot harder for them to reverse the decision. Do not rely on the NICE guidelines alone as frankly they are insufficient under the current political climate, and sadly, the availability of CS is being determined by politics and budget rather than clinical need (which contrary to popular belief DOES include mental health).
Good luck, I hope you can bang the appropriate heads together and get it sorted soon enough.