"Antenatal care really sub par"

It pains me to write this as my mum is a nurse and many of my family work for the NHS so I understand the strains it is under, as well as the endless hard work of so many people across the country. However, so far my experience of maternity care at Whipps Cross has been quite poor. I've had several visits now (none of them on time but that's less of a concern as I know there are lots of people to see) but I haven't come away from any of them feeling that I'd had a positive experience. This is my first baby and I'm left feeling unsure of whether to remain under the care of this hospital.

I suffered bleeding earlier on in my pregnancy so reported to A&E as instructed but was simply sent away as it was a Saturday lunch time and was told no one could scan me. Prior to this I had blood work done to assess my blood group and Rhesus - these results now appear to have been lost.

Today I was booked in for my 12 week scan but because the sonographer was 45 minutes late I was then told that the blood test unit within the Antenatal Clinic was closed and I'd have to try and run to Outpatients to be seen. We ran over there at 4.25pm and were told very aggressively that they were closing and 'to come back another day'. The door was then closed in our face (literally) so I had to knock and ask what we were supposed to do e.g. come back tomorrow/make an appointment/what time etc etc.

Totally appreciate that some people might just be experiencing a bad day but if they had taken even 30 seconds to explain to us what was going on that would have been appreciated. When you're an anxious, tired, pregnant woman with her first baby and facing a blood test for Down's Syndrome this isn't the kind of care you expect. I went home in tears.

Whipps Cross is convenient to where we live and after reading some positive experiences of women giving birth here I'm not inclined to move hospitals but so far we've had knock after knock and I'm already dreading my next visit.