No scan date?

[MF24]

Hi all, I just need a bit of reassurance as I'm feeling a bit crap and let down.

I'm 9-weeks currently, my midwife told me if I hadn't heard about my 12-week scan by now to contact her so I did and she gave me a number to call - I've just called and they've told me they have no availability and I'll have to hope for a cancellation. This is my first baby, we've been trying a long time and I'm anxious to know everything is okay, I feel a bit abandoned and upset.

I'm going to look into private scans because we haven't told anyone and we want to know everything is okay and be able to share our news. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and was eventually given a reasonable date to be scanned?

I know it's COVID times, but I was just hoping for better support than this ☹️

@MF24 that's not right, not at all! I'd escalate this to someone in your midwifery team to find out a) why a scan wasn't booked for you when your midwife team has known about this for weeks, b) that it's unacceptable to let you just "skip" the 12-week scan and you need to be booked in (be flexible on your times so they can slot you in early or late).

I'd also tee up with the Head of Midwifery that you expect your care to go much better than this for the rest of your pregnancy. I know we're in a pandemic, but we're ALL in this pandemic and it's no excuse to skip important scan dates for the health of you and your baby.

Thank you @jazzibelle! I honestly feel so let down, I couldn't believe how blunt the woman on the phone was. I'm going to speak to my Midwife Monday as she is off today, and hope that she investigates this for me.

I've looked at private scans and they're £80 for a 15 minute scan!! Obviously I will do this if I have to but it just feels wrong as I should be being given one for free by the NHS!

Hopefully my Midwife can sort this Monday and I'll feel less upset about it ☹️

@MF24 I had the same issue, I got to 11 weeks with no scan, and they had lost my referral from the midwife! It did get sorted, I was 13 + 2 when they got me in! Please make sure it gets escalated x

That's terrible @im97! Glad you finally got seen though. They definitely have my referral, she said I'm on a waiting list, they just can't see me and can't tell me when I'll be seen as the have no dates available! I'll be 12 weeks at the beginning of March, I asked if I would be seen in March and she said 'if there's a cancellation then maybe'. Great!!

I would complain.
If you want the NT screening you need to have your dating scan before 14 weeks, they should make every effort to get you booked in before then.

@MF24 that's so bad, my hospital then gave me the appointment, rang me up the day before to ask covid questions and only because I checked they realised they had me down for the wrong time! It didn't start off good, I'm 22 weeks now, and it has been better since!

Definitely get your midwife on the care. If you want the NT screening it has to be done before 14 weeks. Mine was 13+5 but it was still done!

How utterly stressful :(
That's really concerning that there are literally no scan appointment dates left. However, sadly, there will be lots of cancellations of 12 week scan appts (for obvious sad MC reasons).

@MF24

That is beyond unacceptable. You shouldn’t have to do this but put up a fight until they get you in. I’m so sorry they did that to you.

Congratulations on your pregnancy

Defo go for a private scan though - you shouldn't have to but if there are no appointments under the NHS, there arent any.

I would book a private scan as a back up but absolutely do not accept this and contact your midwife team today. When was your referral for pregnancy done?

That's not acceptable. Escalate and speak to PALS if needed. I would try and avoid the private scan if possible as they're not medical scans x

This can't be right! I understand if they are busy and you have to have it a bit late but surely they can't just say no

Thanks everyone! With this being my first it's hard to know how much you can kick off with things. I spoke to my midwife this morning, they've chased it and I'm booked in for 12 weeks, so it's all sorted now! Feel much better ☺️

@MF24 well done for getting it sorted. I can’t believe their first stance on it as it certainly isn’t your fault.

Where abouts in the U.K. are you out of interest?

Sounds like they got the wrong end of the stick. They always have a few spare slots - there are people further on who need emergency scans etc that they manage to slot in. Glad you're sorted - they definitely need to scan you at 12 weeks or thereabouts assuming you want screening and a private scan would not give you the same information. Private scans are not medical scans - they don't always tell you if something is wrong/could be wrong whereas NHS always will. Good luck!