Hello! I was referred to St. Mary‘s by my GP in March, had an initial appointment there in June, not heard anything back yet, chased with my GP yesterday.
I am looking to go elsewhere once funding is assessed.
The appointment at SM had an eerie feel to it. I’d been told on the letter in March to not chase until xx June. When I rang, they said – we’ve got multiple slots free tomorrow, which would you like? So no idea why I was required to wait 3 months for a blood test and US.
When there, no one really explained anything about anything – not which tests were being done or why, what the process would be, where to find info, etc. I didn’t actually ask for an IVF referral specifically, I just got some bloods done by my GP as I have PCOS, and progesterone came out outside of range. No one at SM mentioned a thing about why I was there or anything to do with my results, what the results mean, and the potential options. It seemed to be just assumed I wanted IVF, as I was directed to take a funding application form.
When I did ask (very nicely) where to find info and what the approximate time frame to hear back would be, the nurse (I think she was a nurse) went decidedly chilly. Another nurse in the room also interrupted our conversation frequently to talk about the weather, gossip about someone who worked upstairs, etc (eg - nurse asked me a medical question - other nurse butted in to talk about another member of staff. I asked a question about processes - other nurse butts in to ask me if she should wear a coat).
When I’d asked the person on the phone the day before what the US would be looking for, she giggled and said ‘They look for your reproductive organs’ 🙄
Once they’d taken blood they said I must pick up a form from reception on my way out. ok (no mention of what form, just what colour it was). On the way out, I asked reception, and apparently no one knew what form it might be – cue discussion and bafflement. Kept asking me what it was, I didn’t know, just that I must take one and fill it in. Finally – oh, do you mean these ones? There’s a stack of a single type form on the front desk – no others. Pick one up, it’s an IVF application form, it says clearly on it that if you don’t complete and return one within xx days (maybe 14) of your appointment, you’re taken off the system and you won’t hear anything further. So nice that they’re all taking it so seriously!
When I called back a few days later to check what blood tests they were doing, every single one of the 6 extension options rang out each time I called, for several days. Finally someone in embryology picked up, told me that they weren’t supposed to answer any questions, but would make an exception. (I just had the standard bloods, so nothing particular to me).
I didn’t get the impression that they really give a shit.