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"Early pregnancy unit"

About: Princess Alexandra Hospital (Harlow)

I visited the EPU after bleeding at 6 weeks. I had a long wait and when I was seen, the nurse didn't seem caring towards me, despite my saying I had a misscarriage before. The second nurse took a preg test and said it was feintky positive, I asked what this meant and got no reply, packed off back to waiting room, in tears on my own as my husband was out of the country, no one comforted me. After asking if I was going to be seen by anyone, I was eventually seen by a female consultant who was lovely, she sent me for a blood test. Reception told me to call at 4pm for results of HCG level. I called several times before I was answered, then had to wait for a nurse to call me back. She called I was told what my levels were and told to wait 48 hours then come back. I was given no advise as to what to do in the meantime. The next day I miscarried, I was so sick and in so much pain and my poor husband didn't know what to do, I told him to call you, he did, you said bring her back in! For what, to sit there for three hours when I couldn't even get off all fours, no way! The following day we came in, the wait was long, I was in a lot of pain and emotionally not needing to be sitting in a packed waiting room with people desperate for a seat. The consultant who saw us barely had any words for us, I was loved to a side room where blood was taken and left there so long that my husband had to go and find the nurse to ask what next. To e told to go home and call in an hour. Called in an hour and confirmed I had lost out baby. My experience with first miscarriage was at Huntingdon, I was admitted, looked after, given a scan after to make sure it was complete, they didn't discharge me until a grief counsellor had seen me and they answers my questions. A nurse even caught me when my knees gave way when I realise I had passed my baby. I have always held on to that memory like she was an angel. It is a shame the stark contrast. I don't think I will labour at Harlow after this with my eventual successful pregnancy.

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Responses

Response from Princess Alexandra Hospital 10 years ago
Princess Alexandra Hospital
Submitted on 20/11/2013 at 13:05
Published on nhs.uk on 05/01/2014 at 22:54


Thank you for taking the time to make this comment, for your kind words about the consultant who saw you and I am sorry that one of the nurses you saw didn't seem caring. It has clearly been a difficult time and so I am sorry we have not helped you when you felt distressed which must be our first concern. We are striving to become a more patient focused organisation and this is clearly not the standard of care we would ideally wish you to receive or for any one of our own family members to receive. My initial suggestion would be for you to make contact with the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust Birth Reflections Service through the Maternity Helpline which is staffed by experienced Senior Midwives. I have also passed your concerns on to the Head of Nursing for Women's Services. The number for the Helpline is 01279 827286 and it is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and you should state you were advised to make contact in a response to a comment on NHS Choices.

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