MNHQ here: we're after some examples of good miscarriage health care

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello all

As (hopefully) lots of you will know, we're running an ongoing Miscarriage Care Campaign, asking healthcare providers deliver care that matches up to the five points of our code - which are:

1. Supportive staff
2. Access to scanning
3. Appropriate treatment spaces
4. Good information and effective treatment
5. Joined-up care.

Andy Burnham has , and Norman Lamb (the LibDem Health Minister) has personally signed up and is going to try to get it into the LibDem manifesto.

(We're still working on Jeremy Hunt for the Conservatives: if you'd like to add your voice asking for their commitment, have a look here.)

One of the things that would be really useful now is to know which hospitals and healthcare trusts are delivering good miscarriage care.

So if your personal experience of healthcare during your miscarriage was good (as much as these things can ever be), we'd be really grateful if you could tell the us which hospital and/or healthcare trust is, in your opinion, getting it right.

This will help to persuade the politicians that it can be done, and needn't cost enormous sums to get right.

If you'd rather do this off-board, do please email us at [email protected] and put 'FAO Rowan' in the subject line.

Many thanks
MNHQ

I'm going through a threatened miscarriage / possible ectopic just now and East Surrey hospital EPU at Redhill are being fantastic. I've had scans, tests and good care. Going back on for scan today.

I have had two miscarriages and the majority of my care has been great. I could obviously recommend improvements but they were kind, quick and gave me the time and explanations to allow me to make the decisions. When it had happened they passed the information on to all the relevant departments and I didn't have any scan or midwife reminders which was good. Once I walked out of EPU I didn't have to follow up with anyone - they did it for me.

For both I was with university hospital Southampton NHS foundation Trust.

Thank you Leela5. Wishing you all the best

And thanks Dulcet, that's very helpful and good to hear.

I had 5 miscarriages at the Royal Free hospital in Hampstead.

The nurses are amazing and caring and they have a separate waiting room where you can go if you have bad news and aren't up to waiting in the main waiting room.

Also last month I went there and was crying (this time it was happy crying as i had a good 8w scan when i never though i would) and they also took me to a separate room and brought me water.

Also they have counselling services, but they give you a leaflet and leave it to you to call them - which is great as i did it in my own time, no pressure

Two of the mcs needed surgical managment and the care was also very good.

My only issue with them is the fact the EPU is in the same floor as the normal 12 w scans and labour ward and antenatal ward and post natal ward... so you share the lift with labouring women, happy scan women and brand new babies going home... but at least they are a separate ward and then once through the door you are ok... you know everyone there will understand...

Tiny and Dulcet, sending you both hugs x

MN - I'd second Tinys point. I've had to sit in waiting room with people there having happy scans. It's tough. But with stretched resources I know it would be difficult to separate out those expecting bad news.

Leela actually in my first 3 MCs the EPU waiting room was larger, but to better separate the wards and the 'happy scan' bit (only 12w scans are on the same floor, the others are in a different one) they created a partition and a new door, so the EPU waiting room is smaller and I don't think it was a very expensive thing...

First miscarriage I 'phoned up the EPU at Trafford General (I was 5-6 weeks and had not been there or registered anywhere at that point).

They were great, scanned me, talked through the results, gave me a blood test to measure hormones levels. I 'phoned for the results later in the day and they booked me in for another blood test two days later. Once it looked like the miscarriage was complete, they gave me advice re getting pregnant again and to give them a call and they'd arrange an early scan. They were very understanding and I can't recommend them highly enough.

Second miscarriage was a late-term loss (22-23 weeks) at Wythenshawe hospital. A very traumatic experience but I received fantastic treatment by the delivery staff and the bereavement midwife - I don't believe my treatment was any different to that given if the babies had been been a week later and officially classed as stillborn. I had a follow up appointment with the consultant to discuss what may have gone wrong, they did tests and the bereavement midwife told me to contact her when I next became pregnant and she would arrange appointments and scans etc. When the time came, she did just that. Horrible situation, but fantastic treatment.

Third miscarriage (7 weeks) I contacted Wythenshawe EPU as I was registered there. They weren't interested, told me to take paracetamol and stay at home. I found this very upsetting.

I spoke to my midwife and consultant, who immediately arranged a scan, talked me through it, then arranged a second scan for a few weeks later to confirm it was complete. At this last appointment, I was taken through into a private room before my scan so I didn't have to sit with all the heavily pregnant women, the midwife came into the scan with me and after the scan the consultant and midwife both discussed with me what had happened, tests they would do to investigate any problems. So a bad start by the EPU, but after that I couldn't ask for any more.

Kings Mill Hospital in Mansfield does not usually have a good reputation, however when I suffered a MMC they could not be faulted.

The MMCwas detected at a routine 12 week scan. We were taken to a private room where a nurse gently explained our options. I chose to have an evacuation and was booked in for the next day. When we returned both a nurse and a consultant talked us through the procedure. They were clear and considerate. They explained that the baby would be given it's own white box and there would be a service at the crematorium that we could attend if we wanted.

We were taken to the ward and given a private room due to the sensitivity of the procedure. There were delays due to an emergency but the staff made sure I was top of the list to be seen as they knew I couldn't take coming back another day.

All the way through the process I was kept informed, every option was explained and we were treated with great sensitivity. This was the worst time of my entire life but it was made a lot better by the care we received at Kings Mill.

I had 3 MC under the care of the royal Oldham hospital
I was put on a epau ward, but on a wing which I shared with women who where going through the same procedure.
I had to go to theatre on all 3 occasions as I wasn't able to naturally miscarry.
The nurses were fantastic and very supportive, explained everything that was going to happen, which was a good thing as I was quite young at the time, my aftercare was fantastic as I ended up with a uterine infection and lost a lot of blood in the following days, I was admitted instantly, no need to go to accident and emergency,
Had follow ups and tests straight away to determine the causes.

Unfortunately my good miscarriage care only began once I left my local NHS hospital and a checked myself into our local private one.

I have sadly experienced three miscarriages - one of which was very late at 18 weeks when my baby unexpectedly died.

I received a wonderful service from Barnsley Hospital in Yorkshire - from a special room on a different floor to other birthing mums to the overwhelming kindness of the nurses/midwives.

It was a very difficult night delivering my baby but I felt in safe hands throughout. At no stage did any of the staff refer to my experience as a miscarriage - they spoke of me giving birth to a much much loved daughter.
They held my hand, offered me pain relief and offered tea afterwards. I remember sobbing into my tea with a nurse just holding my hand and telling me how well I had done.

I was seen by a doctor after who asked if we would like to name our baby & after the post-mortem they arranged a small private cremation at Barnsley crematorium (who were equally lovely to us). My daughter, Georgie's ashes were scattered beneath an apple tree in the grounds and it means so much that I can visit this special place whenever I am moved to.

I can not adequately explain the difference their care and attention made to my husband and I. Their support helped us grieve and gave us the confidence to try again.

Two years later Barnsley Hospital supported me again through a difficult, high risk pregnancy and the premature birth of my son. They were unfailingly supportive and the end result was a healthy (if tiny) baby boy and a healthy (ish!) mum.

I can't speak highly enough of the services I received at Barnsley Hospital and the genuine warmth of the staff there.

I hope this is ok to post here but there is a small local charity in Glasgow who support those at risk of or who have experienced pregnancy loss. They also provide training to other related medical people e.g. Midwifes and nurses.

SCIM (Scottish care and information on miscarriage
website

I changed hospitals and trust after finding out about my Mmc the first hospital was appalling. The lister hospital in Stevenage were a great support and Daphnia ward at the Rosie hospital Addenbrookes were brilliant.

Royal derby...dreadful.
QMC...wonderful.

Whilst the on-call gynae on a Saturday night wasn't great, the lovely lady (midwife) and gent (consultant) in the Lister Hospital (East and North Herts) i saw in the EPU that morning were brilliant. A lady also phoned me the next morning and undid all the damage the on-call consultant did the night before (hurtful remarks, less than get the examination), and was lovely.

My only request is that the EPU is always open! If i'd not gone in that morning but needed help after closing as a first contact, i would have had a very different experience.

Sorry, less than gentle examination.

Northampton General's EPU is fantastic. I've had one miscarriage confirmed there and two pregnancies with bleeding investigated there. From the receptionist to the sonographers, all of the staff have always been kind, gentle and unobtrusive.
Separate from maternity services, everyone is there for the same reason. The wait can be long but that's because they see so many people: they are happy to scan for reassurance after bleeding or a previous miscarriages.
They made my miscarriage far less difficult than it would have otherwise been and they've given me reassurance through my other two pregnancies. Most impressed and grateful.

The RVI, Newcastle upon Tyne, were wonderful with me. I had two miscarriages and lots of complications and the staff were wonderful.

I can go into more details if you need me to but the EPU, Ward 40 and the theatre staff were all brilliant and I will remember them and their kindness forever.

I know that might sound a little dramatic but my life was suddenly thrown into chaos and they couldn't have been more helpful.

Discovered our first baby had probably died at 12 week scan at Roodlands Hospital in East Lothian end of February 2013. Lovely, sympathetic staff who answered our questions, we were told we would need a scan a week later to confirm the loss, and gave printed info to take home. We were the last appointment of the day so no one else around when we left, being a very small hospital we would have had to walk past a corridor waiting room of happy people otherwise.

The sonographer phoned the EPU first thing the next morning and called us straight after about our next scan. We had been given numbers of EPU and encouraged to call with any questions or concerns. We did not have to contact anyone else to cancel midwife appointments or scans.

In the end I miscarried 3 days later and needed no further scans or medical attention. I did call EPU at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary a few times for reassurance about what was normal and information about support groups, they were excellent each time and told me to call directly to make an appointment for an early reassurance scan when I was pregnant again. My GP called the evening of the day I had the miscarriage to ask how I was and if they could help in any way. I assume GP knew from EPU, but was very impressed by joined up care.

I was very depressed in the weeks after the miscarriage and reception staff at my GP took me into the office to sit and arranged for a doctor to see me straight away when I turned up in a state one afternoon.

EPU staff very good when I went in the early hours of the morning with what turned out to be bad wind - non judgemental, kind, understanding of why I would be more worried - and for early scan this time (due feb 2015). Seperate waiting room for reassurance scans, chat with the nurse first, she came into the scan with us and explained that seeing the heartbeat at 8wks 5 days gave a very high chance of good outcome, change in due date was fine and nothing to worry about, etc. I also loved the fact they had an adjoining loo so I could go as soon as scan was finished, it would have been good at Roodlands when MMC was discovered as I had to walk down corridor to loo and back to empty my bladder for internal scan.

Sonographer at Roodlands also excellent and very quick to let us know all is ok at 12 and 20 week scans.

Wansbeck general hospital, Northumbria Trust, absolutely shocking care resulting in me delivering my 15wk baby alone in a bathroom while pulling on the emergency cord (which no one responded to) and when they did come they laughed because "everyone always cries when it's over". I wouldn't send a dog there.

North Tyneside General, same trust. Hit and miss. I had a mc confirmed there and was scanned in the maternity section however they seem to have improved since then as I had early bleeding with DD and DS2 and was scanned in gynae outpatients. The lady doing the scan confirmed all appeared well and gave me a photo but asked (nicely) could I please keep it in my bag until we got outside and could I be discrete in the waiting room while waiting to see the doctor as others waiting may not have had happy news.

4 MMCs.

I had very good care throughout IMO.
Supportive staff.
Offered a choice of expectant or surgical treatment (I opted surgical and was supported in that choice).
I asked for genetic investigations after 2MCs due to my age at the time (>32) and had them even though it was against policy.
V easy access to a brilliant early MC clinic I could self-refer to as soon as I had a BFP the next time.
Repeated early scanning.
Brilliant support throughout early pregnancy, invasive testing, DS2's premature birth and subsequent VBAC.

I could go on - I loved my hospital, my consultant, the brilliant sister who ran the Recurring MC Clinic (I hope you enjoy your retirement!) and all the staff we got to know far too well.

My hospital is now closed - I had my last baby (DS4) at a different hospital where the care was fine, but I did not have the same connection to everybody because we had not shared 'history'.

Oh, twas the Queen Mother's Hospital in Glasgow.

At the RUH in Bath, I had a early scan(10 weeks) as I was there for thrombosis risk. Found I'd had a mmc. The consultant who was dealing with the thrombosis was brilliant as was the sonographer. Booked in for surgery the next morning.
The staff couldn't have been nicer with a good balance of sympathy and trying to make it as easy as possible. Lots of support and tissues available. I couldn't fault them.

Wish I could, mumsnet, but through 3 miscarriages and recurrent miscarriage investigation in various hospitals in SE England all I have is bad news. Sorry. One thing I will say, I've been treated like shit on the bottom of someone's shoe by clinic receptionists more times than I can count: you can tell Andy Burnham to tell them politeness costs nothing.