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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Getting ball rolling with GP?

12 replies

smogsville · 18/08/2014 12:55

Hi everyone

Just trying to get a sense of whether this is the new normal.

I found out about DD by going to doc complaining of spotting, not knowing this could be symptomatic of pregnancy. Because of the spotting he sent me for an early hospital scan the next day and the pregnancy was registered, booked in etc there and then.

This time I went to my GP on Thursday and they asked me to complete a 'self-referral form' and said someone would call me within two weeks to get ball rolling. The receptionist was clueless with regards to what to do if I didn't get a call within this time in terms of organising the booking in appointment and 12 week scan. I wasn't filled with confidence! We've moved from west to north London since having DD so the system could obvious be different here.

So my questions are is this normal, do you always get a call and when is the booking in appointment likely to take place? I seem to remember it being at around 8 weeks with DD? I want to make sure I can go by myself without DD so need to arrange it for when she's at nursery or a friend/ DH can work from home.

You would have a thought I'd more relaxed with a second pregnancy, but no!

Thanks all.

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soundsystem · 18/08/2014 13:14

I'm in East London and had to fill in a self-referral form, and someone called me within a couple of weeks. Was the self-referral form for the hospital or the GP? Depending on where you are your booking appointment could be at either, I think...

Original poster

smogsville · 18/08/2014 13:36

Thanks soundsystem. Not sure. I was filling it in in a great hurry while trying to stop DD messing around with one of the machines in reception. I think it was for the local PCT? Oh well good to hear this is 'the process' I will await my call.

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juneavrile · 18/08/2014 14:09

No chance of getting into see my gp, receptionist just told me to self-refer, so printed out a form online, filled it in and sent it off to chosen hospital. Had a pack with my booking in appointment date arrive within about a week. I was surprised it was so smooth -I would make a note to chase them if you haven't heard in five working days.

daisydee43 · 18/08/2014 15:41

hi in kent had self referal form directly to hospital. rang them when i heard nothing and they said i wouldnt hear from them until 10 weeks but my friend booked into same hospital via a surestart centre and has heard lots back - will investigate

daisydee43 · 18/08/2014 15:47

just rang hospital apparantley you have an appointment and scan at 12 weeks and thats the first you hear from them

Original poster

smogsville · 18/08/2014 15:50

Oh right so I am supposed to be choosing a hospital and starting from there? It's all changed since 2011! Might have to start again then as I expect I have unintentionally self-referred locally and I don't intend to use the local hospital. Thanks all.

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Original poster

smogsville · 18/08/2014 15:52

Hi daisydee I think that's a bit horrifying really isn't it! Nothing before 12 weeks. Times they are a changing. Oh well. Better crack on with some work now then :-)

OP posts:

daisydee43 · 18/08/2014 15:54

yes really scary - dd1 was much more personal. you normally get choice of 3 local hospitals (well did before self referal) so i guess you pick your fave and hope youre in the catchment?

simonjhardy · 18/08/2014 15:55

Pretty much echoing everyone else here...

It's all about your PCT as to the route to referral...

My and my GF are in East London, and we could not self refer, so had to get the GP to do so. We visited the GP at around the 5 week mark, heard nothing from the hospital until about 10 weeks which is when I called them and they gave me the appointment details over the phone.

Turns out because my GF has an "awkward" surname they had messed up the systems and never got the letter posted...!?

In the meantime though, we elected to have a private scan done around 7 weeks which was simply a great experience, found out we were actually 8 weeks along, saw our little bean, and went home with photos, plus a video of the scan along with the sounds of the heartbeat!

simonjhardy · 18/08/2014 15:57

Oh, just to add, for use, we had a choice of hospitals, (2 main hospitals or a dedicated maternity centre)

Again, I think that's all dependant on your local PCT.

mssleepyhead · 18/08/2014 18:04

I saw my GP when I got my first positive test. 7 weeks scan at EPU after spotting arranged by the GP. Then my booking in was with my community midwife at 10 weeks (organised by and at the GP surgery). Then a 13 week scan at the hospital. All appointments after that (apart from 20 week scan) have been at the GP with the community midwife, but I've had to book them all in, of course. So depends on where you are in the country, I think.

divingoffthebalcony · 18/08/2014 18:10

My GP bollocksed up my referral, and when I phoned the hospital at 10 weeks to enquire why I hadn't received a letter about my scan, it turned out they didn't know I existed. So I had to get the surgery to fax the referral again (jeez, who uses fax machines still?). Chased the hospital again, who had the form but it was only partially filled out

In short, by the time it was all sorted, I didn't have my booking appointment until after the scan. No care at all during the first trimester. Just as well I plodded along fine on my own!

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