ffs health visitor rant

[tiredmummyneedswineandsleep]

i'm so annoyed today for the second time i waited in for my health visitor not to show up. no phone call to say why. i rang them in end and was told she was off sick (again!) and that i must have been missed off their phone calls. the same happened in august only i didn't complain as we were off on hol next day.
since she took over from last one early summer the ONLY way I have managed to meet the woman is by turning up unannounced at baby clinic (ds is 3!)

I have made phonecall after phonecall and she always seems to be off sick or on holiday. I have told the staff several times which days we are at home and which days I work- quite simple you'd think as it's same each week. yet I kept getting appointment requests for days i'd work. I would ring up and they would say they'd write it in the communication book etc.. when I work or that she was off sick or on holiday.

DS had his first multi agency meeting 3 weeks ago, I rang the health visiting office myself as well as the multi agency group's lead professional, she couldn't make it so a health visiting support worker was sent. very nice lady but she doesn't know me or ds at all. she told me I would get more support from hv team. next week a different health visitor comes to my house. lady in her 70s! very old school, didn't agree with the gfcf diet ds was on. gave me wrong info regarding cafs.referred to 'my husband' i don't have one, or a partner or even a supportive ex. ds was scared of her kept hiding in his room which isn't like him. he wouldn't draw a circle or line or her despite him being able to do it this last year and old hv ticking it off on my word he could.i even found my birthday card where he had clearly written a j and an o but she wouldn't budge. now having suspected asd and adhd there's a lot ds cant do so i'd appreciate him being given credit for wha he can do.

anyway i told hv team when i rang up today we need a new hv. one that can attend meetings and home visits if needed etc.. was told they have their meeting weds so would discuss it then. have decided if they don't i shall be officially complaining. ds and i are at a difficult and crucial time and are desperate for consistency.

sorry for the rant just unimpressed and to top it off ds got choc mousse all over cream carpet

Sounds dreadfull! Good luck...you tell them!!!!

A cream carpet! ...I wouldnt dare have a cream one, ours looks like a pub carpet so hides all the mess!

thanks. lol not my choice( private rented) tis ruined am hoping one day i'll have enough £ to replace it.

Were in a private rented too...hence the pub carpet! :)

Get one of those ryg doctor cleaners you can rent...be cheaper than buying a new carpet...when you go of course!

i could count on both hands how many times I have seen mine in 3 years!

They know DH has cancer, that DD1 has HFA, we are going though assessment for DD2, that DD2 was in hospital with pnemonia last 2 winters and that I have my own ongoing health problems with my heart stuff.

And we had to fight to get them to sign a form last week, but nope noone has been in touch, been of any support at all!! good job I have my head on right otherwise they might find themselve in a meeting wondering why they knew all this stress going on and did sod all!!

The HV that didn't pick up ds' autism, wants to see dd for a 2.5 yr check as she is at risk of having autism.

I have better things to do with my time quite frankly. She could use the slot to do some autism CPD.

Sadly star the only way she'll get that is by you preparing some and discreetly providing it during the 'assessment.

If you dont get any satisfaction on Wednesday,write a complaint to the Head of your Primary Care Team. Sounds like your HV Team need a (boot up the backside),shake-up.
No, people cant help being sick, but if that starts to impact on the level of care a client needs, then the Team Leader needs to address the situation. Go kick some butt!

Got the wrong end of the stick with your comment lisad I thought you meant that you could count on both hands how many times you had seen your carpet in 3 years! I was going to join the club!
Only 1 good HV at our clinic. If you get one of the duffers, I just cancel and ring up to leave a message for the good one. She always returns calls as well!

ours is spectarley crap was asked by sw to provide support for ds3 aand me but well her support was to phone sw informn them i had been to drs about my hip.( was infactsent to hospiatl and kept in ) sw phoned 4 days later and said i wa sin hospital .

No call from Hv or sw to offer help even though was known going to be on crutches for 6 weeks ,

crikey lisa that sounds tough, cant believe they don't offer you more support. thinking of you.
goingaroundbend- sounds like a waste of space. hope the hips recovered.
well my phonecall yest must have got through to her as she rang several times today and offered to come out but ds and i had our autistic support group meeting which is only once a month and gives me 2 hours respite where i can talk to other mums and ds is looked after by fab staff at a charitable special needs centre.
have arranged for her to come next mon as thats my next day off. wonder if ds sogs will get done!