12 week scan cancelled again. No new date?

[hobsnobs]

My 12 week scan was supposed to be last week, got cancelled due to sonographer being off sick and rescheduled for today. I just had a phone call cancelling again, and they haven't rescheduled as her sick note lasts two weeks so they've said they'll evaluate then as she may be off longer.

I'm just confused, I'm 13+4 now, so I'll be nearly 16 weeks by the time shes back with no idea if my baby is actually ok to put it bluntly, no screening? I'm feeling quite upset about it. What they have one sonographer in the entire hospital? I've left my midwife a message about being willing to travel to a different hospital if I need to, we are fairly rural but I'd rather that then wait god knows how long.

Can book privately but nearest place for anything like that would be 3 hours travel and a lot of money

That’s really shitty of them, not to mention disappointing for you. I would say you need to call the maternity unit, get tough and say you need them to give you a date for a scan, it’s not acceptable to just not have one.

That’s absolutely shocking. I don’t have any advice but I’d be kicking up a stink - yes, it’s not the sonographer’s fault they’re off sick but the hospital needs to make other arrangements, it’s not an unforeseeable issue. I don’t know the correct channels - email to the head of the hospital/CEO, copying the head of maternity and PALS, maybe? But you’re definitely not in the wrong to kick up a stink, both you and baby are being failed here.

Definitely PALS after but for now, on the phone until they give you a date.

Was my understanding (& I've had 9 children) that you need to be scanned by 14+1 if you want the NHS blood test and for nuchal fold to be measured to combine their the screening blood test.

I would ring antenatal and ask to speak to the midwife in charge - who may be able to sort a scan out.

Combine with not their!

A private scan is like £50-80.

If you are up to travelling to another hospital- it might be worth looking into.

I don’t think this should be a replacement and you should definitely make a PALS complaint- but just in case you did want your mind at rest before the hospital sorts itself out.

Also call midwives and let them know as well. They may be able to chase for you.

Yes sorry private scan is cheap but private screening isn't and that's what I'm worried about I'm missing the combined screening

So the hospital an hour or so away hasn't got any availability in the next two weeks so apparently I'm better off waiting to hear from this sonographer at my current hospital. I just don't get how they can do this

That's shocking! They need to get a locum in or refer to a different hospital!

That is terrible. I am having mine today at 13+6 and I thought this was the last day to have the combined screening. I would ask your midwife what the alternative is here to get the screening done - will the hospital pay for the nipt? (Some trusts do)

There is another test that can be done after if you miss the deadline of 14-+1 but that’s still shocking.

Try speaking to your midwife and insisting she push the current hospital and also call then yourself. I’d also do PALS

This is absolutely shocking and not acceptable for a time-critical medical test. The hospital shouldn’t be in position where all it takes is one person off sick for virtual healthcare not to be available.

Complain. Complain. Complain.

This is not acceptable.

I've phoned window to the womb they said they can date the pregnancy but they wouldn't do any screening or take the nuchal fold measurement, so it's not really a substitute for a proper 12 week scan. I really don't know what to do. Is that PALS just more to complain rather than get something booked in?

@hobsnobs PALS will help with rebooking and complaining - do please get on the phone to them.

Midwife has said if I miss screening they'll do a blood test at 16 weeks to check for downs, I asked if it was the NIPT and she said no they wouldn't cover that it's just the blood test they used to do before combined screening was introduced? Surely if combined screening replaced it there was a reason for that? I shouldn't get worse treatment due to their staffing issues surely

Absolutely not good enough.
I'd be raising hell with the hospital and definitely contacting PALS today.
It's not acceptable that they are being so blasé regarding medical testing that you are entitled to.

No you shouldn’t get worse treatment because of their staffing. This is shit. Sadly though there’s a severe national shortage of sonographers. I guess if they don’t have anyone then they don’t have anyone.

But what if this person is off for months 🤷🏻‍♀️ They must have more than one person.

Time to go to the local press and contact your MP - basically go to the top

You will not be the only pregnant woman of 12 weeks who needs the screening done, so this will pull in others in the same boat.

This one sick sonographer can't possibly be the only person working for this trust who can undertake the screening - bet the consultant obstetricians can as well. If not they can get in agency staff.

Even if the sonographer is back to work in 2 weeks - they'll be what 3-4 weeks backlog plus the patients booking in as standard. Ask if the trust's legal team has been consulted on this - hospitals hate an obstetric legal claims - gets reallllllly expensive for them very fast.

The screening they are offering you is the quad test I believe and it was replaced because it is for Down's syndrome only and it's not as accurate.

You can still screening for Edwards and Patau at 20 week scan, which isn't ideal but just so you know it's not a write-off!

Could you ask for the blood work to be taken anyway to check your HCG and Papp-A levels in the understanding that they can't give you a risk percentile but you'd be able to see if your blood work is in normal ranges?

Sorry you are in this situation, I was stressed when mine was originally booked for 14 weeks so I can only imagine how you feel (I did get moved forward). I'd definitely complain but I guess if they could do something they would?! If you are in a rural area finding a stand-in sonographer might just not be possible?!

I wouldn't want to be twenty weeks by the time I found out my baby had Edward’s or Patau, whether it can be left that long or not.

How much is screening at private hospital?
We did this but 14 years ago.

Just annoyed that we have to pay to get the level of screening we're entitled to, I've replied to my midwife saying the quad is what they'd do as the NIPT is only done on the nhs if you're high risk and said that we will pay for a private scan but that screening wise the NIPT is a closer replacement to the combined screening than the quad test is and that is what we would want to be done so we can get screened for the same as everyone else. I really don't see how they can offer anything less. I'll see what she says and go from there.

OP, ask to speak to the Antenatal Screening Coordinator for your Trust. There cannot only be one person doing scans. If they are delaying screening due to staffing they need a contingency to sort it out.

Thanks, my midwife has contacted the senior midwife with my request for an NIPT test to be done so I'm waiting to hear back. If they come back with a no then I'll take it further.