St Thomas' Booking In App Confusion- any experience / WWYD?

[CaptainHoratioWragge]

I'm 10 + 6 today and have not received a scan appointment yet.

I rang to ask if that was OK, and was told I was not down for a scan as I wasn't booked in to do antenatal care there.

My GP referred me at 4 +5 and I know they have the referral as in the last 6 weeks they have sent me several letters to my home address about it, sent letters to my GP about their referral, and they have made me appointments to see two different consultants as i need clotting meds in the PG.

The person on the phone said the best thing to do was to write a self referral and send it them, they could use this to book me in. I did point out that they have obviously already got one, but they still thought this was the best way forward so I did that on Wednesday. I haven't heard anything yet.

Scans are not without anxiety for me since both my previous pregnancys ended in MMC found by scan (my first one at the routine 20 week one, the seond one a viability one at 7 weeks)....I couldn't / wouldn't want to go on my own without my DH but he needs a least a few days notice to change shift patterns with another member of staff.

I'm also finidng it very hard not to be extremely anxious about the PG as was not offered a viability scan this time so have no idea if all is progressing or if this is my third MMC.

I had shockingly, shockingly bad treatment in my other two pgs at Croydon University Hosp, many wrong dates on appointment letters, people not turning up and then lying about it later when i complained etc and I don't know how much that is affecting my judgement here-

It feels like it is all just starting again but perhaps i have just been incredibly unlucky and after this point they are going to be more organised? Although i did assume the same about croydon and they were just consistenly crap all the way through and looking back i don't know why i didn't leave after the first 2 or 3 balls ups?

I'm due to see the consultant on monday, (i'll be 11 +1 then) should I ask them to try and sort it out or is this not the done thing?

Should i give it a few more days waiting for a letter (don't want to be seen as a troublemaker) before i say anything?

When it is reasonable to have you first scan/ when is later?

What would you do?

I would definitely take it up with the consultant on Monday. You don't want to miss out on the scan window they need to do the nuchal fold test if you can help it. From how much they have been messing you around I wouldn't trust them to sort it out without you pushing it and raising it with everyone you can!

The booking appointment is usually entirely separate from the scan. I can't tell from your post whether you've had the booking appointment? if your care is shared with your GP maybe you can ask them to chase up the scan?

I don't think the care is shared with the GP due to risk, but maybe could still as the GP as she referred me?

I haven't had a booking appointment, but have had 2 consultant apps where they did take a history, so i presumed that means i didn't need a booking in one as well?

Get your 12 week scan booked as a priority and worry about being booked in afterwards. I had my scan first, as the ante natal care in my area is equally crap.

Your GP surgery may have a visiting midwife, ask, and if so get her number and ring her direct. I rang the local birthing unit and the midwife there faxed a scan request across to the hospital for me, and put me on the waiting list for a booking in appointment with the hospital.

If you are very worried would a private viability scan be an option?

I would absolutely chase them for this now due to the narrow window for having the NT scan (if you want this? - you can only have it between 11 and 13+6 weeks) and the fact that St Thomas's are busy and usually have no scan appointments for a few weeks at least. (I'm on my 2nd pregnancy there - they are great but not organised - my initial scan appointments were lost in the post this time ... but eventually arrived (postage underpaid) a month later!

I would telephone ante-natal appointments monday am. If you struggle to get through email the appointments (general, not ante-natal) and also get your consultant to chase. It doesn't matter if you have the booking in after the scan appointment. I also am high risk and saw a consultant early on (9 weeks and 12 weeks). I didn't really care so much about the midwife booking in appointment.

Hi, I have spent a lot of time at st t's with Ds and my current tricky pregnancy (at the moment going in ever second day for monitoring) so I have a couple of suggestions

• it's great you have a consultant appt on Monday. Start off by mentioning the fact you don't have a nt scan appt. This is relevant to the consultant if you're under their care and they should take an interest
• st t's don't "offer" viability scans but have an excellent EPAU on the 8th floor. It's a walk in clinic and if you went in their waving one of your letters with your hospital number on it you could probably get a scan after a little wait (though early Monday mornings are busy). I have had a number of mc, including 2 mmc and with this pregnancy I just turned up and said I'm pregnant can I please have a reassurance scan. I was scanned every fortnight.
• if you go to the "fetal medicine dept" on the 8th floor (not the women's ultrasound also on the same floor) and talk to the appts administrators they should be able to sort something out if you take all your paperwork with you. Even if you have to fill out a self referral form on the spot to tick the boxes
• the scanning department has spare slots every day for emergencies so it is always possible to squeeze you in IF you have a consultant pushing for an appt

Best of luck - I know it can be frustrating and upserting but if you persevere i am sure you will get it sorted out on Monday

thanks for the replies, i just worry so much about seeming a nuisance, so it is reassuring to get your feedback.

I will take all letters etc I have received on Monday to the appointment with the consultant and ask them to help me.

I have thought about a private scan, and if this keeps going on I might go as I do really need to feel some sense of reassurance/ at least know the bad news.

Its interesting about the EPU, thanks. I actually looked at their self referral criteria for walk ins and it said we see women with bleeding or cramping, so I didn't feel I was allowed to go iyswim, perhaps i'm too reticient as i'm basically quietly going to pieces at home for fear of bothering anyone there.

if no luck tomorrow I might try that later in the week on my DH's day off, as at least then i'd know he'd definitely be able to be there.

Bit of an update

It doesn't matter about the booking in now

I saw the consultant and she sent me for a scan- baby not showing 11 weeks but 7 weeks and no heartbeat.

I'm so gutted. It will be my third MC this year.

Sorry for your loss

So very sorry to hear that.

This will be of no comfort now, but there is a supportive recurrent miscarriage programme at Guys and St t's which you should qualify for.