I can appreciate over worked and under resourced situations that you might be finding yourselves in. I understand you are all only human and can only do so much but simple things on my late night visit to the labour ward seemed so difficult for you to do that it worries me that if the simple things can't be done... what about the harder things! I have had repeated UTI's throughout my pregnancy, on the night of the 8th July I was in pain and felt another infection was present. I rang the labour ward at 9pm and the first lady I spoke to was really nice and said they were busy but come down in an hour and they'd check if I had an infection. I left it 1hr 15mins and went down - just to give them a little extra time in case they were busy. When I arrived I met a different lady to whom I had spoken to previously and after I explained why I was there, she sent me to the waiting room - I had to ask her for a urine sample pot as I was certain they'd need it to check! I returned to the waiting room and there was 3 people waiting. I didn't mind waiting, all I wanted to know was if it was an infection and start treating it quickly. The same lady called me back out to reception after 20mins and said there was nothing they could do for me? I'm in a hospital with a urine sample in my hand that you haven't even tested and there’s nothing you can do for me? Was I in the wrong place? My husband and I looked at her in disbelief and said how come? She said we're really busy! I said I understood that and I wasn't looking to check in for the night I merely wanted to know if she could test my urine and let me know as I may need antibiotics. She wandered off to ask another person if should could accept the urine sample for testing? She came back and reluctantly said "fine". I asked when I could get the results, she said the next day! Clearly she wasn’t going to test it then even with a dip stick to tell me anything. Both myself and my husband left and I think we were both in shock and really began to question the hospital care that lay ahead (I have to point out – the ante natal side of things has been really good, the receptionists/nurses/midwifes etc in the other building have been great at appointments/ info/ help etc and no issues there!) I went home and had to take pain killers to get through the night. I visited the hospital the next day and asked if they had results, they said they hadn’t so I resorted to my GP. I subsequently went back for my 28 week check up and asked what happened to the urine results. I wasn't surprised to be told – there are no urine sample results in here– nothing on the system…. What did that lady do with the urine sample that was too much of an effort for her to take from me and test?
"Labour ward unit... need to work on your skills!"
About: West Middlesex University Hospital West Middlesex University Hospital Isleworth TW7 6AF
Posted via nhs.uk
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