"Incredible Team"

I recently gave birth for a second time at the City hospital. I had a rather difficult time last time around and was very anxious about giving birth a second time in case there were similar complications. Whilst I did have some complications the general experience I had was marked by the extraordinary treatment I received from the staff. At all levels both on the labour suite and on the wards I stayed on the dedication expertise and hard work from the staff ensured that I was not just well cared for physically but also emotionally and mentally. The rare occasion when the staff were not quite so competent highlighted the significant difference that having such a skilled group of midwives and doctors can make. I would like to specifically highlight the work of many of the midwives who looked after me during my stay. The quality of care was exemplary and helped me through some very difficult situations. The many experienced staff I encountered were so helpful in terms of making sure that any medical need was met promptly and also in explaining any procedures or tests I needed or my baby needed.They were also very kind and provided me with a great deal of emotional support during my stay. I would also like to make note of the extraordinary group of doctors who work across the maternity department. During my stay I saw a number of doctors at a number of levels and I was very impressed with the hard work and dedication shown by many of them. One or two in particular were very kind and all were incredibly efficient. I would also like to highlight how great the pediatric team were and how reassuring it was to have such competent and kind people working with my baby. However whilst I have nothing but the up most praise for the staff I encountered I have to highlight the extent to which the maternity unit felt chronically short staffed the entire time I was there. Whilst no member of staff complained about the staffing levels it became quite obvious that there were too few midwives especially at nighttime. Furthermore the practice of pulling midwives from the wards when the labour unit was short staffed often created an impossible workload for the remaining staff. I feel very strongly that the reason there were no serious complications or problems that resulted from this shortage of staff was purely because of the incredible dedication and hard work of those there and this should not be the case. I have no medical training so I cannot entirely assess the impact of a midwife looking after in one instance eight ladies ion labour suite at the same time. Similarly I cannot be sure if it is possible that some complications could be lessened if identified earlier on the wards because the midwives had time to look after all the patients effectively. But I do feel that that there should be a better system of planning staff levels and that the practice of pulling midwives off the wards should stop to ensure that patient care is not compromised.