Finding a good GP and midwife on the NHS.

[KeyboardMum]

Hello Mumsnet users! This thread is aimed mainly at Women using the British NHS.

How do you find a good GP and midwife?

So far, my experience with my current healthcare professionals has been nothing but dire. My local medical centre failed to provide me with the correct information I needed to proceed with arranging a midwife, and the receptionists have been particularly frosty and sarcastic when I have tried to arrange to see a doctor. The one doctor I have managed to speak to (over the phone) was really snooty with me, rushed me whilst I was trying to discuss the details of my pregnancy and didn't inform me about any of the processes I would need go through in order to get a midwife. They said that they would follow up the phone call, but didn't. Nothing has arrived through the post, no leaflets or medical advice...

To be honest with you all, I was thoroughly underwhelmed by the whole shambles. I pay my taxes, I don't smoke, have a drug problem or abuse alcohol. I haven't been hospitalised for anything. Other then the injections we had to have as kids, the most I have ever asked for from the NHS is treatment for tonsillitis. Now, I'm at a point in my life where I'm vulnerable and really do need the support of the NHS, and I feel as if it's staff are failing me. I'm worried that I'm not going to find a suitable bunch of healthcare professionals, who will really care about mine and the childs health. It's quite stressful.

8 weeks LMP this Monday, with 21/09/15 being the first day LMP. Two positive pregnancy tests, and I still don't have a midwife. This is my first pregnancy, and other then the practical advice my online research and books are offering me, I am very much in the dark. I don't want to inform my family until I have a scan to show them. Other then the support from my SO, I'm very much alone in this - which is probably why I feel so let down by my local team.

Can anybody suggest anything? Or should I knuckle down and accept that my experience of the NHS during pregnancy will lack humanity and empathy?

I'm a first time mum, I called up to book a doctors appointment and asked the receptionist what to do, she said Coke in get a booking form to complete and book an appointment with MW, I have to wait until gone week 9.

Saw a very young doctor who proudly announced how new she was and that she had never met a pregnant lady before so didn't know what to do, didn't advise on my medication or anything - I lucky have some brains about me, so googled everything, asked to speak to the MW on the phone and she suggested I see a particular doctor in my surgery (there are 10) who is amazing! And specialises in women's health :) so very lucky to have found her. I'm also going for an early scan which im paying for myself to give me extra piece of mind.

We have a place for people with babies due in July :) if you want to join us click here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/2508900-July-2016-2

Chatty bunch all in the same boat X

@EllieJayJay That's brilliant! Thank you so much! I'll watch the thread :) x

Keyboard there are several online resources which let you compare maternity services at different hospitals, like this one:
www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Maternity-services/LocationSearch/1802

Unless you go private, you won't get to select a midwife - you'll be allocated most probably to a team of midwives who will share your care between them.

Your welcome lovely come over and chat were quite a little gang now and as a first time mum to be this has been one of the only things that has kept me sane xx

I also had a lot of bother getting into the system with this (my 1st) pregnancy.

I told my GP at 5 weeks I was pregnant and how to go about registering with the midwife. He said they don't give out the midwife's number but that the GP would refer me and I would get a phone call by week 10 to arrange booking in. Halfway through week 10 and no contact whatsoever. I call the GP again and am told to wait until week 12. I highlight that this is no good since I need to get booked in for a scan by then too, knowing there is sometimes a wait for this and that I want Downs screening. They still won't give me any phone numbers to contact the midwifery service myself.

In the end I lost my patience with the surgery so I rang the only number I could find - the maternity ward of my local hospital! The midwife on the phone was great, listened to me, told me I was right to call and that I wasn't registered with them at all and had obviously been lost somehow. She arranged booking in the next day, despite it being an hour+ long appointment and we arranged the 12 week scan from there.

I'm 33 weeks now and it's been pretty smooth sailing after that crap start. All the midwives have been fabulous. My GP is nice but couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery. The moral of the story is, if you feel like you've been over-looked, kick up a fuss until someone acknowledges you!

@Quodlibet - That's a really good resource, thank you for sharing it!

@EllieJayJay - Will do :)

@EdgarAllenPoe - It's amazing how useless some people can be, isn't it? It's even scarier that these people are juggling with your health. I'm glad to hear that you got it sorted in the end, and 33 weeks in? Not long now!

Funny you should talk about kicking up a fuss, because a midwife from the medical centre I mentioned at the start of this thread actually called me today and arranged my first appointment. She was patient and lovely. She even gave me her phone number and the phone number for another local midwife in case I can't get in touch with her! Funny how all of this has happened shortly after I left an angry-pregnant-woman review for the place on the NHS website.

Just seen my GP today at 6 weeks. He didn't give a 💩. No congratulations, no good luck, just got a card with a local midwifes number on. Was like talking to a robot.

When I called this number however, I spoke to a lovely lady who was all excited and chatty. Took all my details to get me booked in, Put me at ease straight away.