This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?

"Would not return"

About: Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Gateshead)

I recently gave birth here. Went in on the Wednesday after waters had broke. Met by rude receptionist and a nurse who made us wait 3 hours to give me a painful internal where I could be heard screaming in the next room. They sent me home telling me I was not in labour. Contractions worsened and on the Thursday they witnessed the rest of my waters breaking. I was told there wasn't enough room so I'd be booked in for an induction on the Saturday if I didn't go into labour alone. Later that evening I had been in back to back labour where I could not sit or lie down. I was taken in where they told me I wasn't breathing properly and needed to go home to go into labour. On the Friday at 4pm I couldn't take anymore so we went in. The receptionist again said there wasn't any room until we explained if they did not resolve this we would go elsewhere. The midwife then realised that only half my waters had broke and they needed to break the rest. I would never have went into labour on my own. On the labour ward I was laughed at by the head of the ward for requesting an epidural. They were rude and nasty until after they broke my waters and they realised my daughter and I had an infection due to their lack of care. I went from 4-7cm in an hour so I was not allowed the epidural as I had stated in my notes. After pushing and passing out from exhaustion in between contractions I was taken to theatre for forceps. My partner had to wear shoes with blood on as they'd had no time to clean up since the last emergency which put us at risk of further infection. My daughter was born and we both had sepsis so she was taken to SCBU where I could not see her for 5 hours. I woke up covered in my own blood as the midwife had not stuck the pad down properly. I was taken on the ward and due pain relief. I pressed the buzzer and the nurse told me I would have to wait 20 minutes until they had finished their daily meeting. So I had to lie there in agony with no baby whilst other mothers on the ward had theirs right next to them. I then asked another nurse if they could remove my catheter so I could visit my daughter. I heard them laughing behind the corner with another nurse, silly me I should have known it was some other nurse who was going to remove my catheter. My pregnancy was low risk, I had visited the assessment centre several times prior with reduced movements, a scan was taken 5 days before she was born showing no signs of concern and I was told she was due on time. She would have been born on her due date had they broken my waters sooner. I would never have went into labour on my own. I was treat worse than an animal and have been left traumatised by this experience, I am suffering with PND and I'm terrified of ever having another baby. This behaviour and attitude of staff must change. I do not want my daughter or anyone else to suffer the way we have. My partner was unable to spend time with his daughter as by the time she was home he was back at work. Horrible place.

nhs.uk logo
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Queen Elizabeth Hospital 7 years ago
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Submitted on 10/06/2016 at 12:01
Published on nhs.uk on 11/06/2016 at 02:30


We're so sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience at the QE. We'd be keen to understand what's gone wrong, and how we might be able to learn from this. If you'd be interested in telling us more about your experience please contact our PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) on 0800 953 0667 or pals@ghnt.nhs.uk.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k