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"Extremely disappointed in how I've been treated"

About: Aberdeen Maternity Hospital / Obstetrics (Maternity care)

(as a service user),

I have been extremely disappointed in how I've been treated by some of the staff in Rubislaw ward at Aberdeen maternity hospital. Last year I had a miscarriage and was given an appointment at Rubislaw ward, on arrival I was asked to take a seat in waiting room. I sat in the waiting room for 45 minutes on my own in floods of tears, staff walked past me numerous of times and said nothing, eventually I went up to reception and I was told they had forgot about me. However during my procedure the staff member that looked after me was very kind and understanding.

6 months later I fell pregnant again, around week 7 I started to have spotting so I called the ward as I was extremely anxious as this is how my first miscarriage started. On the phone they were very dismissive and trying to speak over me while I discussed my symptoms. They said to phone back if my pad was saturated within an hour or I was passing large clots. 2 weeks later I called again to say I was still bleeding, again was told they wouldn't see me unless I was saturating a pad within a hour, and again was made to feel like I was being a pest. At week 11 of my pregnancy I called again to say I was now passing bright red blood and had sore lower back with cramps. When I called this time the person answered the phone sounded annoyed and again told me they wouldn't see me unless my pad was saturated within an hour. A week later I had my 12 week scan and was told my baby had stopped growing and there was no heartbeat.

This was devastating to find out at my 12 week scan when I could have found out sooner if I had been taken in for a scan when I was bleeding. Straight from my 12 week scan I was taken to Rubislaw again to discuss my options for removing the pregnancy. I explained to midwife about all my calls with ward leading up to the scan. It was confirmed that only one out the 3 calls had been documented and that I should have been given a scan after 7 days of continuous bleeding. The midwife was empathetic and was very understanding, she explained the way I had been treated was not as per the protocol and all my calls should have been documented. 

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Responses

Response from Sarah Campbell, Midwifery Manager, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, NHS Grampian 2 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Sarah Campbell
Midwifery Manager, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital,
NHS Grampian
Submitted on 19/04/2022 at 13:23
Published on Care Opinion at 14:56


Thank you for sharing your feedback of your care in Rubislaw ward. I appreciate this will be a difficult time for you and your family and please accept my condolences.

I am sorry that you have had such a poor experience, this is not the standard of care that we hope to deliver.

I acknowledge that you did not get the care and support that you required and as a team we need to do better. Myself and the senior charge nurse will share your feedback with the team and look to work collaboratively to improve the information, advice and care women are given when calling or attending for care at Rubislaw ward.

I appreciate that Care Opinion is anonymous but, if you feel able to, I would like to discuss your care further. If you would like to get in contact with me please email gram.womensservices@nhs.scot.

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