"Unimpressed"

The 3rd floor Antenatal team, West Block, at least during my visit, seemed more interested in taking it in turns to check their own temperature than attending to the queue of mums-to-be waiting to enter into the waiting room. The waiting room was busy but there was still more staff working that day than patients. The staff appeared to be working at a pace equal to a Sunday afternoon lull and most had a passive rolling-of-the-eyes attitude when they felt challenged by another human being not within their circle of medical bffs. I waited for 2 hours before I was seen (I had to force their hand by letting them know I had a job to get back to!). My delay was due to not being able to pee in a cup and the student nurse deciding not to process me until I did. When I was seen, the Dr, who was professional, kind and courteous, was shocked by my experiences that day and couldn't apologise enough. I am classed as a low risk birth and she couldn't understand a) why I had been booked in to see her b) why I had been held back for simply not being able to pee straight away and c) why in 2 days I was returning for a scan which could have/should have been booked in on the same day as my appointment with her if someone had just looked at my records. Indeed. I have transferred to NNUH from London and this was my first 2nd visit to NNUH. My first visit wasn't much better, mind you. After asking for direction to where I needed to be, at 36 weeks pregnant I was directed back out the main entrance and all the way around to the back of the building, only to end up exactly where I was 5 minutes later. Then, miraculously, the same lady extended me a "olive branch" and took me down a corridor nextto her office and within less than 30 seconds I was back outside and exactly where I needed to be. My experience of NNUH is that one is not treated as a patient, and not treated with care or empathy. Of course, this does not extend to EVERYONE working there. My community midwife is lovely, as was the Dr I saw on the 3rd floor. I honestly wish there was a birthing alternative to NNUH in Norwich but...hey-ho...our hands are tied.