Care in Scotland... rest of UK???

[fynemum]

I know lots of Mums to be in Scotland are complaining about the lack of care... it seems quite common for us to go to GP when we first get our BFP (4weeks) referral to MW takes few weeks so first booking appointment can be around 12-13 weeks...then scan appointment a few weeks later.. (only have ONE scan though out their 40 week pregnancy)..... This tends to be done around 14-16 weeks...
We get our bloods, babies measurements, urine etc all done at the one appointment....and the next appointment after that can be at 25-26weeks (like me)

I feel this is awful...... Yes we have an EPU... and due to previous loss i used my EPU in the first 10 weeks... BUT that isn't part of our standard care..

Also one more thing......

Do people in the rest of the country get their notes home???
We have to give FULL Medical history for ourself and partner.... And Well I think this information shouldn't be allowed home.... We may have past issues in our families that others shouldn't know... including our partners...

Ie... my partners mum has mental health issues and we don't want my children knowing, or my mum knowing...but they could find mt notes, not think anything of it and read to see how my pregnancy is coming on...but find out more....

If you have had a termination, STD or anything you don't want people to know... it's all there..... So imagine it could cause problems for some people who are in new relationships?? I am lucky.. I have not had these problems, but many woman have in their past.....so? ? ?

See what i mean?

Some medical/ personal things should only be kept in the medical locked away surgery/ hospital files..... private between you and your doctor/MW.

Any thoughts?
Should we complain?
Who can we complain too?

Sorry long post... Lv Yvonne xx [/u]

 

[laetitia85]

if u find some of my previous posts you will see that my hospital doesn't even offer emergency scans, regardless of what happens, including bleeding, extreme abdominal pains etc. i think that's awful. and im in london. also, the appointments and scan i've had so far were very badly conducted, the nurses don't care, it's just like routine to them. they don't say a word, i had to ask loads of questions. at the 12 week scan i asked to listen to the heartbeat and she said 'sorry we don't do that here'. i was shocked. thank God i have a doppler. i am very disappointed in the care i've recieved so far, not just from hospital but from my local surgery and GP as well. sometimes i feel like a 'statistic' rather than a patient. i don't know what we can do in order to recieve better care. it's become a fact ow that the NHS doesn't have enough money, so this is nothing new. i just hope that we wouldn't suffer from it as much. this is my first baby and i want the whole experience to be special. i can't even begin to imagine what will happen when im in labour, i really hope i will be looked after properly

 

[SarahH]

I'm in Aberdeen and I received great care while preg. From my 8wk book in appt I was seen every 2wks by the midwife, a scan at 12 wks and another at 20wks. From 30wks I had to visit the midwife every week.

 

[Hells]

When I had my daughter nearly six years ago, only one scan was the norm in my area (Reading, Berks) and that was at 20 weeks. I'd never heard of dating scans until I got pg this time. Now I'm in Swindon, Wilts, and a 12-14 wk and 18-20 wk scan is the norm. 1st time mothers get 10 mw checks as standard, but 2nd timers only get 7. I can understand having only one scan, but I would have thought it more important to have the anomaly one at 20 wks rather than the early dating one.

I keep my mat notes at home, but some of the sections do say that you can discuss with mw instead of writing down sensitive info in the notes, like the previous history of pgs and m/cs, and the drug and alcohol bits.

 

[Clydesdaleclopper]

I'm also in Aberdeen and my care has been great. I had a bit of bleeding at 5 weeks and was scanned then. They then scanned me again at 7 weeks to check everything was going OK. I've then had scans at 12 and 20 weeks and my midwife has been fantastic. I'm suffering from SPD so she is seeing me at home so that I don't have to travel in to the GP surgery. I think it very much depends which local authority area you are in.

 

[SarahH]

I'm also in Aberdeen and my care has been great. I had a bit of bleeding at 5 weeks and was scanned then. They then scanned me again at 7 weeks to check everything was going OK. I've then had scans at 12 and 20 weeks and my midwife has been fantastic. I'm suffering from SPD so she is seeing me at home so that I don't have to travel in to the GP surgery. I think it very much depends which local authority area you are in.

snap... I had SPD and they sent me to the physio and she came to the house.

 

[Nicola]

I honestly think it depends on your area, the finances your local health care providers have at their disposal and so forth. I'm in the south of England and recieved fantastic care, appointments at 9 weeks, 12 weeks (scan) then 16, 20, 21 (scan) 24, 28, 32, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40 and 41 if needed. In addition to that I've an extra homebirthing visit at the end of this month (another hours appointment) and a privately arranged tour of the hospital next month. So I'm pretty lucky with what I've had. But...you go to another area of England and they struggle to get them in for the 12 week appointment, then they see them again at 18 weeks, 24 etc. I think some places are great, some areas are bad...depends where you are in honesty.

On the notes front all we get home is our maternity notes, i.e our conception and due dates, record of treatment(s) had so far, print outs from the scan etc, nothing about either of our health history etc.

 

[fynemum]

hi ladies, Thank you for your replies... Sounds like many of you are receiving wonderful care... and thats how it should be..

I just wish the NHS would take ALL the positives and make them happen for everyone....After all we all pay the same in tax and vote.

i understand that different area's and funding etc makes the difference, but i don't agree it should. having a baby is a wonderful natural experience that should have the same high standard for the best possible start.
I would much rather have the old fashioned PG care, knowing my MW is a big issue...having someone to call with concerns etc.., having Basic notes/card to keep track of my PG and have the regular check ups..

I know moan moan...... But really isn't very nice being treated like a stat.. as someone above says....

Good luck to you all ladies.. wishing you healthy happy pregnancies and bouncing babies to love and watch grow... Lv yvonne xx

 

[weenik]

I live in Ayrshire and I'm happy with the care I've received. I had an early scan due to being in a car accident then I had my 12 week & 20 weeks scans. I also had an amnio at 17 weeks and the way that was handled was almost excellent except from having a staff midwife assist with the procedure instead of a Doctor but everything's ok so I'm not complaining. I have MW appointments every 3-4 weeks just now and then they get more frequent the further into pregnancy I get. My notes are my maternity notes, not my full medical history. I hope I don't need it but I know that the hospital will welcome me if needed

 

[lauramumof2]

weenik, im in Saltcoats

I had good ante natal care. 3 scans and no problemg getting a midwife. Afterwards, I had a nurse out every day for quite a few weeks due to my scar but all in all I would say my care was good.

 

[NIE]

I to am from West Lothian like Calamitygem, so we will be receiving the same treatment from the same hospital.

I had some probs during week 7 & 8 and had to visit the EPU. I found them to be really helpful, although I did make a point of saying that I work in this hospital. Don't know if it made any difference.

We are lucky that we have a Baby Bond in West Lothian, so if we can afford it we will be having another scan done.

It is true about falkirk and stirlingshire area offering different treatmnt. My little cousin got an additional scan at 20 weeks and found out the sex.