"Left with mixed feelings"

I recently had a booking appointment with the midwives at the Limavady Health Centre, and it was quite an experience that I feel compelled to share. My appointment was delayed until I was 13 weeks along, due to a combination of a holiday and a bout of vomiting. I submitted my self-referral, and the staff promptly scheduled my appointment for later that week. Upon arrival at the health centre, the warm greeting from the staff immediately put me at ease, despite my extensive surgical history and various health issues making the booking appointment lengthy.

The process of drawing my blood proved particularly challenging due to my difficult veins, necessitating several attempts. However, the staff handled the situation with the utmost professionalism and care. The appointment was notably extended, partly because the midwife's phone kept ringing, forcing them to pause multiple times to take calls. They appeared extremely stressed and was even on the phone with the FAU, coordinating care for a patient in labor. I overheard the conversation, and the person on the other end was quite rude and the midwife must of been on the phone for 10 mins

I was informed that there were no scan appointments available in Limavady. I was fine with this, but the midwife had to call the clinic in Alt Derry to secure an appointment for me. The conversation was difficult to listen to as the midwife had to insist that Limavady patients should be accommodated in Derry if there were no appointments available in Limavady. She had to explain that this directive came from management and that I needed to be seen. The midwife spent a good ten minutes on the phone, fighting to get me a scan appointment. Throughout this ordeal, I couldn't help but feel unwelcome, as if I was a burden. It was so unpleasant to sit and listen to this and so unprofessional. Nevertheless, I deeply appreciated the midwife's determination and dedication to ensuring that I received the care I needed. My full appointment took over two and a half hours.

Reflecting on this experience, I'm left with mixed feelings. On one hand, the professionalism and dedication of the staff were commendable, but on the other hand, the systemic issues and communication challenges left much to be desired. I hope that future appointments at the Limavady Health Centre will be more streamlined and that patients will feel more welcomed and less like an inconvenience. This is something that needs looked at urgent no one should be left feeling like this and it's so unprofessional.