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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

13 weeks tomorrow and no booking in appointment?

19 replies

floppops · 10/09/2013 08:07

I'm 13 weeks tomorrow by my calculations and haven't been given a booking in appointment date.
I only self referred to the hospital a couple of weeks ago.
Should I hassle them? Or is this kind of normal? I'm not hugely bothered as I don't brillantly look forward to the appointments anyway-from memory of last pregnancy but I would like to get on and request to see my notes.
I'm having a private nuchal scan today as we thought we might have referred too late to guarantee a scan appointment so that's not a worry.
Anyone have a late booking in appointment?

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Lovecookies · 10/09/2013 11:12

The booking in appointment should be done before the scan, but if you've just booked a private scan you are probably not in the system and i thought you need your pregnancy notes you get at the booking appointment for the scan although not sure about what they do when private scan. You just need to make a midwife appointment either through the hospital if you are doing it that way or your local gp surger x

Writerwannabe83 · 10/09/2013 11:31

I got my booking-in appointment really quickly. I went and informed my GP of my pregnancy 3 days after I'd had my BFP and then 3 days later I got a letter through the post with my Booking-In appointment, which happened a week later. I wasn't even 6 weeks pregnant by that point . I was given the date of my scan at that appointment, so all really efficient!!

I would ring and chase it up - but, at least you are getting your NT scan done and I hope you have positive results!

Congratulations on your pregnancy x

Original poster

floppops · 10/09/2013 13:33

I havent been offered a booking in appointment but I am on the hospitals "books" as I have self referred.
You don't need anything when getting a private scan.
I'll give them a ring and chase it if I haven't heard by the end of the week.

OP posts:

workingonitagain · 10/09/2013 16:01

Why did you self refer?
I always thought you have to have your green nptes before the hospital puts you on the scan list and you can only have green notes once you had ur booking app with midwife? Maybe its different everywhere...

MissHC · 10/09/2013 16:12

I think it depends on the hospital. I self referred (due to moving to a totally different area) and got booking appointment letter in the post very soon after. I think it took about a week - the letter arrived to our new address before we'd even officially moved in.

In my hospital you then booked your 12 week scan when you went for booking appointment. 20 scan appt was sent by letter.

I'd give them a call OP.

Original poster

floppops · 10/09/2013 16:14

I self referred as I couldn't get an appointment at the GP and I also heard that the GPs were asking patients to refer themselves anyway. Was simple-just went to the antenatal clinic and filled in the self referrel form.
I just chased them today and they are going to call me back with an appointment.

OP posts:

Lovecookies · 10/09/2013 16:20

I'd imagine if you had gone to gp a couple weeks ago they would have sorted it all out for you and you would have had your booking appointment by now. Being on the hospitals 'books' obviously means not a lot if you are having to chase them up and they won't have the information they need from the scan without the notes filled in to book future appointments. I have midwife appointments at local gp and only go to hospital for the scans. All the best hope you get it all sorted.

Lovecookies · 10/09/2013 16:22

Sorry crossed posts, there not very organised of them then to have to faff about like that

workingonitagain · 10/09/2013 17:28

I see. Its totally different from here. You call gp to let the comm midwife know u need a book app then she sees you at gp all throughot the pregnancy and get letter from hospital for scans. Interesting to see how things are different wherever you go. Good luck

MrsDibble · 10/09/2013 19:28

I would just ring them. My booking appointment didn't come through although the hospital said they had sent it. If I hadn't have phoned them I might still not have it!

Rockchick1984 · 10/09/2013 22:30

I self referred - shouldn't make a difference to how long it takes to get an appointment. Think it was a 3 week wait from referral to booking in, my friend who went to GP first waited about the same.

CrispyFB · 11/09/2013 10:41

I'll get mine at 14 weeks despite them knowing about my pregnancy from 3w2d. My GP surgery failed to make the referral, lied about it, and it was only at 10 weeks I found that out and by then the nearest booking appointment was at 14 weeks. I'm high risk and need consultant-led care and will miss my NT scan but they didn't care. Luckily, like you, I'm getting an NT done privately anyway.

We can't self-refer here as far as I know, I couldn't even find contact details for the midwives here!

Original poster

floppops · 11/09/2013 13:01

I had my nuchal scan done privately yesterday and it isn't cheap but it was worth it. Great pictures, really through measuring of everything and they also measured my cervical length. They explained everything and we had all the time we needed. We got the blood test results straight away as well. Was a really lovely experience.
When i self refered I just went down to the reception at the antenatal clinic at the hospital -you should be able to do that anywhere?
I called the midwives to chase it up, they said they'd call back. Got a message this morning saying they're not sure whether I needed a booking in appointment or I've already had one and to call back?! So I call back and there's a machine message saying "there's no one to take your call and you can't leave a message" ?? Brilliant.

OP posts:

Lovecookies · 11/09/2013 15:24

The problem with hospitals is they have such a vast number of people registered with them that they can't keep up with checking them so rely on others (gps) telling them what needs to be done for each patient. It all sounds rather confused, maybe go down to the clinic to speak to someone face to face until they give you appointment, I would be angry to be honest especially as they recommend you self referred in first place, good luck x

CrispyFB · 11/09/2013 15:42

I'm pretty sure the midwives here are attached to the GP surgery so I'm dealing with the same set of incompetents whatever I do! The hospital is a half hour drive away, not really somewhere I can just "pop in" unfortunately, and I don't know if they have antenatal midwives there or not (am new to the area for this DC)

I have had similar in the past in my old area with ringing the midwives.. you could only ring them for one hour each morning, and weren't allowed to leave messages. I guess they are super overworked and underresourced!

Totally agree about the private NT scan. The main reason for going private this time is I went private last time after screening positive with my NHS scan, and the difference was like night and day in terms of the detail. Where was yours, was it the FMC?

Original poster

floppops · 11/09/2013 16:30

Yes was FMC. Was great first time I've been there. Had a NS on NHS last time and yes this time so much more detail and great pictures. Reassuring too to get the results straight away and have them explained to you right there.
Hope your scan goes well Crispy.
I always found the appointments with the midwives were more hassle than they were worth anyway. Can't remember ever getting any info or reassurance so I'm not brilliantly bothered how long it takes to get an appointment! As long as I've had the NS scan and get my 20 week scan I'm not worried. Although I would like to see them to request my notes from last time.

OP posts:

CrispyFB · 11/09/2013 17:07

My NT scan is on Friday so not long to wait! I had Harmony done there two weeks ago so I should get those results then as well (just a tad nervous, to put it mildly..)

They are brilliant at explaining things and I love that they can answer any question - it's like having a human interface to all the research papers online! Don't get that with the NHS, heh. Well, unless you're at Kings College of course, as it's the same people just on the NHS side.

I agree with you about the midwives actually. It's nice when it's your first to have somebody to handhold (well, so long as they're nice, mine weren't for the most part for #1 but were better for the others) but they are not that useful at the antenatal end really. If it's not your first, there's little new they can tell you. The wee test is of course important, but I always take my blood pressure at home and have a doppler anyway, and I sometimes measure my own fundal height out of curiosity. Pregnancy is pretty low maintenance unless something bad happens, then you go see a doctor anyhow. There's just not much role for them until the third trimester aside from triggering off the referrals and blood tests I guess! Probably that's why there's not many appointments scheduled until then.

My only annoyance over it all is that I haven't had my bloodwork done nor my consultant referral as a result of all this. The actual midwife appointment I could take or leave!

Original poster

floppops · 11/09/2013 17:36

Good luck for Friday Crispy. And I hope you get your consultant referral soon.
Hopefully all will go smoothly.

OP posts:

CrispyFB · 11/09/2013 17:52

Thank you!! Good luck getting your booking appointment too - I can't imagine they have too many of them where the NT is already done and dusted!

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