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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Midwife doesn't cater for working mothers!

123 replies

rubyslippers7788 · 08/12/2013 19:00

Hi,

I work full time 8:00 - 4:00 Monday to Friday. My midwife is at my GP's surgery every Wednesday from 12 - 4:45. The problem is that she likes her bookings to be one after another. So If she has one at 3:30 then she wants the next one to be at 3:45. She refuses to wait for me to finish work at 4:00, I could be there at 4.10 so she wouldn't have to wait long. So if her last appointment is at 3:30 she wont wait until 4:10 for me ... even though she is supposed to stay until 4.45. Is this normal?! I am now 22 weeks pregnant and haven't seen her since I was 5 weeks pregnant ... all because she wont wait and my work is extremely awkward when trying to get time off.

OP posts:

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TheHeadlessLadyofCannock · 08/12/2013 20:49

Your employers are wrong and you should complain to them, but I think it sounds as though you need a new midwife too. I'd be particularly worried that she was refusing you referrals because she hadn't heard of a particular condition.

If she's the team leader and therefore considered above complaining about , find out from the surgery how you escalate it.

If her last appointment time is 4.45 then of course she should schedule in appointments for then. And even if that's meant to be paperwork time, as someone else has said she could do that while she was waiting for you, or in any other breaks between appointments.

SirChenjin · 08/12/2013 20:52

She is maybe required to stay until 4.45 - but that doesn't necessarily mean she is required to run clinics during that time. Routine appointments are only one part of her caseload. Your gripe should be with your employer for not letting you leave a bit early every few weeks for something that they are legally required to do, not the midwife - unless you know for a fact that she is required to run routine appointments

DontmindifIdo · 08/12/2013 20:54

I think the chorus of those saying your work are doing something wrong are missing the point, her work are allowed to ask her to take appointments outside of her working hours if possible, if it's not possible then they have to give you the time off, but they are allowed to ask you to try to get appointments outside of work hours (I checked as I worked 3 days a week when pregnant with DD, I was supposed to try to get appointments on the other two days). So your work are perfectly entitled to say that your MW does officially offer appointments outside of your work hours and you should book those.

I would call the GP practice manager and ask if there is a reason you can't book an appointment after 4pm. (Even on the dot of 4pm would be preferable for your work if that meant that they only had to cover the last 10 minutes of your work). I would also push the MW to book that time. She has to give you care, even if she'd like to get away early, tough, even if she'd like back to back apointments, tough. You can't get there any earlier, she needs to push people to fill the other slots between, not deny you care.

Make a fuss. This will get harder as you get further along.

SirChenjin · 08/12/2013 20:56

Yes, that's right - they can ask you to try and get alternative appointments outside of work time, but if that is not possible then legally they are required to give you time off to attend.

DontmindifIdo · 08/12/2013 20:57

oh and as a teacher, can you try to get an appointment over the school holidays and explain face to face with the MW the problems you have getting to her, that it's not going to change so if she can't stay for appointments after 4:10pm, then is there another MW you can see, even if it means going to the hospital or a different GP surgery. If she can't (or won't) offer you the care you need, it's not acceptable to say you can't have care.

tinselkitty · 08/12/2013 21:01

Um...you get a MW appointment, tell work when it is and they have to figure the rest out.

It's great that you're trying to make appointments that are easier for your work but they have a legal duty to let you go, whenever the appointment is.

My poor HT ended up having to take my very challenging class quite often as I had MW appointments, regular physio for SPD and extra scans. She never, ever made it awkward for me.

DontmindifIdo · 08/12/2013 21:02

But SirChenjin - if it is possible but hte MW doesn't want to offer those slots, who should be the one to back down? If the MW should be offering those appointment times but just doesn't want to, it's not fair that the OP's employer should be the one to fit round a MW who doesn't want to stay in clinic for the hours she is supposed to be.

I must say, only offering 12 - 3ish appointment times is really rubbish! For anyone with an hour or so commute, that's the bulk of the afternoon out of the office for what is effectively taking your blood pressure and checking your wee. Only offering that will mean that a lot of woman don't see the MW anywhere near as much as they otherwise would.

quackojuliet · 08/12/2013 21:02

I suspect the reason she won't give you a later appointment is that she usually runs late. My community midwife routinely runs 30 mins to an hour behind,so she likely has to fill appointments earlier in order to keep on top of the workload.
Go and see them at hospital antenatal care.
Failing that, call in sick on the day if work aren't giving you the time off. School won't fall down without you.

SirChenjin · 08/12/2013 21:07

If it's a case of the MW 'not wanting' to offer those appointments then I would be very surprised - it's not usually down to one midwife to determine routine appointment times.

Original poster

rubyslippers7788 · 08/12/2013 21:11

Yes work are legally required to allow me to attend midwife appointments. The midwife is only at my surgery on Wednesdays, this is my training afternoon at work, training that benefits me. the midwife is supposed to be there until 4:45, this is her last appointment time. I can get there at 4:10, I am not asking for the earth. If her appointment before 4:10 finishes at 3:50 she is unwilling to wait until 4:10 to see me. Even though she should be there until 4:45! I realise that she is very busy and has more to do in her working life than see me but surely in her job she has a duty of care? My work will give me the time off if I get paperwork signed off by my line manager and the head teacher but it doesn't take away the fact that the MW should be working at the surgery until 4:45!!

OP posts:

Original poster

rubyslippers7788 · 08/12/2013 21:13

SirChenjin - the practice manager has told me that it is a case of the MW 'not wanting' to offer me a 4:10 appointment.

OP posts:

Original poster

rubyslippers7788 · 08/12/2013 21:14

quackojuliet - unfortunately it would be against my morals to phone in sick when I'm not sick. I would rather schedule an appointment with the GP.

OP posts:

DontmindifIdo · 08/12/2013 21:17

Book to see the GP, and make a point that you know it's a waste of their time and you should be seeing the MW but the MW doesn't want to offer appointments after 4:10pm if her earlier ones finish at 3:50. You might find that problem gets fixed for the next working mother...

quackojuliet · 08/12/2013 21:19

Well your work are lucky to have your strong morals, but you have a greater duty of care to your baby than your job. In your position,I would see the gp, if work make it difficult, call in sick.

Original poster

rubyslippers7788 · 08/12/2013 21:19

DontmindifIdo - Good idea, thank you!

OP posts:

LittlePeaPod · 08/12/2013 21:20

I have always found disheartening when I gear/read that people actually call in sick when they aren't actually sick? That's really poor!

LittlePeaPod · 08/12/2013 21:22

OP, I would speak with the GP too as suggested by Dontmind.

iliketea · 08/12/2013 21:26

All those of you blaming one midwife - Most midwives are employed by an nhs trust (NOT the GP practice) and there will likely be some strict guidelines about filling appointments.

You can complain to the practice manager all you like, but he / she probably has minimal influence on how midwife appointments are managed. If you want to complain, find who the midwives are employed by and complain to PALS at that trust.

Maybe the late appointments are kep for emergencies, so people can be slotted in on the day.

quackojuliet · 08/12/2013 21:26

LittlePea - if your work are making it difficult for you to have scheduled antenatal appointments, what choice do you have?! The consequences of not being able to attend these, and something being missed with your or baby's, are potentially far more serious than an odd sick day. Priorities!

ProphetOfDoom · 08/12/2013 21:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittlePeaPod · 08/12/2013 21:29

Quacko then you raise it with HR. Employers should provide women with the time required to attend appointments. You certainly don't compromise your own integrity and lie that you are sick when you aren't.

I very much doubt any HR department would not resolve that sort of issue.

MrsCakesPremonition · 08/12/2013 21:34

iliketea is right - MW appointments are not the responsibility of the practice.

You need to escalate your issues with the MW's line management (Supervisor of Midwives or possibly Head of Midwifery), not the practice manager. All the practice do is provide a room.

quackojuliet · 08/12/2013 21:39

Fair enough, but personally if I was 22 wks and hadn't seen the mw since 5 weeks if would be a priority, especially if I had concerns.
In my school there is no human resources dept,it is the headteacher directly you have to deal with. Sounds like it is the HT whom the op is struggling with for time off.
In any case there are alternative options here - midwives are available in several locations and times, though you almost always have to take time away from work due to travel time. I'm just surprised this is an issue and that the midwife is being blamed for it.

HamletsSister · 08/12/2013 21:46

I think the midwife needs to be told. However, I think teaching brings it's own set of problems with time off, unlike many other jobs. Teachers do not like missing school, for whatever reason. Classes do not go the way they should, cover is hard to come by. Teachers, slated elsewhere for their lack of care, often do put the children at school first. The midwife is out of order.

MrsCakesPremonition · 08/12/2013 21:50

Have you spoken to your union about the difficulties you are having getting time off when you need it?

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