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Care Opinion

Supporting people with anxiety

Posted By Wat3

"Supporting people with anxiety"

About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Maternity unit

(as a relative),

My partner has severe anxiety and OPD and to begin with we had a fantastic midwife who listened to my partner and I and done everything she could to support us. Then she went off long term sick and my partner's care went downhill and no-one will tell us if they are back to work as they have been the only one that supports us through our pregnancy and willing to listen and answer any questions my partner and I have.

My partner needs a lot of support due to her anxiety and from the Sonographers at FVRH (who I don’t rate at all) and some of the triage staff who also don’t listen they need to go on a course to learn how to support people with my partner's conditions.

Sometimes my partner is too upset to phone triage so I phone for her and all I get from most of the people in there is they want to speak to my partner and when I say she is too upset they say ‘get her to phone us when she wants to talk’ then they hang up. I am extremely angry at the way we have been spoken to and treated and wish to know when our midwife will be back and my partner will then relax again and maybe enjoy her pregnancy.

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Responses

Response from Gail Bell, Deputy Head of Midwifery, Women and Children, NHS Forth Valley 5 years ago
Gail Bell
Deputy Head of Midwifery, Women and Children,
NHS Forth Valley

Submitted on 24/10/2018 at 19:42
Published on Care Opinion on 25/10/2018 at 09:29

Dear Wat3

I am sorry to hear of your partners' on-going anxieties. I believe we may have already spoken about some of your concerns.

It is wonderful that your partner has built up a rapport with and has confidence in her Midwife. I am sorry to hear that she is currently absent. The other team Midwives will be able to give both you and your partner the care and support required until she returns.

I understand from both sides the points raised around the telephone calls. I know your intention is to protect your partner but please be assured that staff are only trying to help when they ask to speak directly to her, not cause upset.

I would be more than happy to speak to or meet up with your partner to look at how I can help allay her anxieties and how we can support with her on-going care. She can contact me on 01324567484.

Kindest regards

Gail

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