Whipps/Bart's merger- anyone else struggling for care?

[TTCmay]

I am in NE London under Whipps which recently merged trusts.

It is impossible to get hold of communitymidwives! Got letter a few weeks ago, saying my appointment was the next day! And in a clinic miles away (many closer). I couldn't go as work commitments and was told they would call me to rearrange but booked for weeks (I did question why I was only given 24 hrs notice)!

Now I call every day and no answer and no voicemail facility. It has been like this for weeks! I have spoken with antenatal, my dr, the clinic centre and operator, all whom blame merger.

I do want to discuss things with midwife, but I am worried about what it might be like later ie giving birth!
Does anyone know how to get through?!tHanks

From my experience there is no way to contact a mw aside from triage or an appointment they arrange. They no longer have mobiles and although they do sometimes have an answer phone on in the office messages are never replied to. You simply cannot contact a community midwife.

It's putting me off a homebirth tbh. I'm 36 weeks in a few days and no contact from team plus I wonder how on earth you'd get through to them as the leaflet says to phone the (empty?) office when in labour.

However on a positive note I have no worries about labour/ birth. I was on the antenatal ward recently and went through triage and they were great, so much better than a few years back.

Antenatal at Whipps has always been a bit hit and miss and overloaded. Last time I moved to the area at 7 weeks and I was 28weeks when I finally had contact and my first appointment! Last time I eventually contacted the antenatal clinic at the hospital and had my appointments there.

One final heads up, I've nearly had a few heart attacks from letters sent in error (three times!).