Worried about the QE2 Hopsital care in Hertfordshire!! Please help...... x

[Helley]

Hi all, I'm new to this bored so please bear with me.
I wanted to join as I know there was a similar thread posted a while back regarding hospital care in Hertfordshire and it's concerned me slightly as I'm receiving pretty crappy mat care at the moment.

I'm pregnant with my first baby and am taking everything in my stired considering I'm 16 weeks pregnant and have not been seen by a midwife yet at the hospital. I've had to wait 6 weeks to be given a date for my first appointment and now am having sit around for another 2 and half weeks before that date arrives, making me 18 weeks before actually seeing anyone!

Me and my bf decided to go private for a scan, just to make sure that everything was alright, which it is. But what is worrying me is the fact I've been palmed off with excuse after excuse everytime I've called up to chase them about my appointment and I'm supposed to be giving birth at this hospital who can't even sort out their basic admin!!

Has anyone had experienced of giving birth at the QE2 and would they advise I try to get transferred to the Lister Hospital in Stevenage?

Big thanks

Helley x

[kgirl]

If I was u I think I would be making an appointment with your GP asap and moving to the Lister.
I never shy away from appauling service and have been known to shout very loudly when I'm not happy and if I was u I would be very unhappy at the moment.

[lilymolly]

I think you should shout very loudly too.

I think the way you have been treat is appalling.

My opinion of the actual hospitals and labour/birth/post natal care is actually that it is dreadful.

But I have always had excellent ante natal care through the community midwifes.

My dd birth and post natal care was very lax and at the time I was disgusted- only you are so wrapped up in your new born you just forget about it.

However I was admitted to ante/post natal ward recently due to hyperemesis and was treated quite badly.
I was given conflicting advice, spoken to like shit, and had to go to the toilet on a regular basis i.e every 30mins cos I was on a drip..... only to be inflicted by dirty over spilling bins with bloody maternal pads all over the fucking place.
Really helped the vomiting that

I mentioned these things to my comm mw and she was appalled and told me she would bring up these issues with the senior midwife.

I think how you have been treat is way below NICE standards and you hav grounds for major complaint.

How many other mums perhaps more vulnerable than yourself are also being failed by the system?

That is what concerns me
(obv concerned about you also )

[Helley]

I'm just worried that if I go to my GP's again, they'll just palm me off with 'it's not our issue as the hospital now have all you paperwork' crap!

[lilymolly]

Dont be palmed off

Ring the hospital and ask to speak to the head of midwifery service or the womens health business manager, or head midwife or matron of the maternity dept OR someone who will listen to you.

Quote the NICE guideline- these are national standards which ALL PCT/NHS trusts must adhere too.

Please make a fuss and dont be fobbed off

Now promise me wont you

[Helley]

Lillymolly - I'm sorry that you've been through the mill as well. Glad you have a midwife to fight your corner, especially because of your medical condition!

The NICE document really puts things into perspective of what I haven't recevied - like all the blood tests that were supposed to have been done at 10weeks! Bloody joke!

I think all women should be told about this Document because at least then you can keep on top of the service you're being given and complain if they're complying with the regulations!!!

[Helley]

I promise!!

[lilymolly]

Good

Let me know how you get on x

[misdee]

dont be fobbed off.

if you want to wait until you are in the system, then i understand. make sure the QE2 give you your green notes, then inform them, if you want to, that you want your care switched to the lister or one of the other hospitals available.

you shouldn't be having to deal with this terrible care.

i switched last pregnancy at 36weeks-ish, as my dh was at the lister very ill at the time, and we didnt know if he would still be in there. as it was, they had him transferred to harefield, who sprung him out of hospital 2 days before my induction date.

[Helley]

Trust me I won't be fobbed off anymore! My blood is boiling at the moment and I'm ready to make a very big scene on the appalling care I've recevied!

Think my minds already made up with the QEII. Will get my green notes and be transferred. I can't afford to risk mine or my baby's health any longer!

I'll keep you posted with how I get on!

Hx

p.s glad to hear your dh was ok in the end.....!

[misdee]

might see you at the lister one day soon then!

[greenlawn]

Hello, I'm not down to give birth at the Lister but had to be seen by a consultant there for some extra tests - they were fantastic. The hospital was clean and the staff were friendly and unhurried. Sadly its too far away from my usual hospital so not practical to go there.

I know lots of people who've given birth at the QE2 - general consensus is great delivery experience, awful postnatal care (but then that's the same as my own experiences at Watford General).

[Helley]

Greenlawn - I agree with your consensus of bad postnatal care at the QEII. I've been told that's down to a lot of agency midwifes working at the QEII who really don't give a monkeys! Having spoken to my fella, Lister would be bit of drive for us, but if it means we get better care, I'm happy to take the risk!

StarlightMcKenzie - Ha, I was actually born at Chase Farm Hospital and been up there a couple of times to the A&E! My mum thought it was awful back then so chrsit knows what it's like now. Like the QEII, they're slowly trying to close Chase Farm down and I think the maternity centre has really suffered!....I can't believe your doctor thought you were considerng a termination when you weren't, that's pretty disgusting!

[misdee]

takes 10mins yp the A1 to get to the lister. i did it myself this morning

[Helley]

10 minutes is nothing!!

[misdee]

assuming you are in the panshanger area. i am in peartree. i cut through tewin road onto the one way system and head twoeards the A1. take the second exit for stevenage and you are practically at the hospitals doorstep.

[greenlawn]

Helley just one thing to add about the Lister - talking to the midwives they agreed that because over the past year or so its taken on more and more women from surrounding areas (wonder why?!) the parking situation has become a nightmare. When I went there we trawled round the car park for about 20 mins - no spaces at all. I drove out and by complete luck there was a space on the main road. The trouble was, apart from that there was nowhere else to park. My last resort was going to be the Sainsburys across the dual carriageway?

Doesn't affect my high opinion of the hospital, but if you do go there leave LOADS of time to park!

[misdee]

yes parking a major problem there. most of my appointments are early ones, but if i have to go after 10am for any reason, then we tend to park in sainsburys, though this is becoming less of an option as my hips are creaking.

[SparklyGothKat]

I refused to go to the QE2 with my last baby in 2007. My daughter was born in 2000 at 31 weeks, they gave her a blood tranfusion without our knowledge. They moved her cot and didn't phone me to let me know and when I arrived, I saw no cot, no teddies, no bottles and FREAKED!!! I was running up and the ward crying, thinking she was dead.

With Dd2 in 2001, I was left alone in labour at 33 weeks, pethitine (sp?) forced onto me, by the midwife who wanted her lunch in peace, even though I said I didn't want it. She just jabbed in it anyway. Another midwife actaully delivered Dd2 (was my parents old neighbour, so I knew her) because my MW had gone onto lunch and left me. Old MW refused to examine me and when my old neighbour finally did, I was 8cms dilated and she had to rush about getting SCBU down and getting my DH in.

I went to Lister with my Ds2 and they were great, seen at 10 weeks (as am high risk) scanned every 2-4 weeks, tested for blood clotting disorders (was discovered I had one) Midwife never left me at all from the time I arrived at the hospital in labout at 33 weeks.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Am at what awful care you've received helley. I'm at the Lister - had dd there in 2006 and having ds there in 6 weeks.

With dd I saw my community midwife at 4 weeks (on the day my period was due in fact!), and this time my GP told me to make an appt to see her at 5 weeks, but as I was busy on the day that she is in surgery I waited until 7 weeks. Can't imagine waiting as long as you have - it's terrible.

I wanted a birth pool with dd, and was told that the QE2 has one, but the Lister doesn't. Even that wasn't enough to make me change after all the bad things that I've heard about it. Wouldn't use the QE2 unless I absolutely had to.

[Helley]

Your stories have just confirm what shocking service the QEII provides! The thought of having to trust these people with my care just freaks me out....

All I want is a hospital who can see me when I need to be seen and make me feel welcome..... not make me feel like I'm a complete pain in the arse.

I called the hospital yesterday to make a complaint and the midwife who picked up my call couldn't understand why I was getting so stressed out at not being seen yet!!! IS SHE FOR REAL?? I've managed to get my appointment change to next week (27th) but have decided that I'm going to make an offical complaint and then ask to be transferred.

I'm not taking this crap anymore!