To sum it up I feel the midwives/staff are extremely judgemental, degrading and have absolutely no people skills what so ever. My earlier booking appointment ended up in the midwife grabbing my arm and asking me in a very standoffish manner what is this then? (In relation to my very old self harm scars on my arm). This was done in front of my partner to my absolute humiliation. Second occasion was being told I was to be drug tested with which I didn't argue with as I had nothing to hide...the rest came back negative. Now being 39 weeks pregnant and worried about reduced fetal movement I referred myself to the day assessment unit. On first arrival I may as well have been invisible at reception, once I had been seen to briefly And explained why I was there they then forgot about me sitting there for a while, remembered after about 10-15 minutes and strapped me onto the monitor. I had not been told by the other staff member who put me onto the monitor to count fetal movements but the other staff member present felt it appropriate to speak to me in a condescending manner when I didn't know how many movements there were as I hadn't been told to count. To then top it all off they left me sitting there abit longer afterwards to tell me everything seemed fine but do I smoke? I replied no, to which they succeeded to then ask if I smoked cannabis again the answer being no. They then let me know they would like to send my urine sample off for testing...I said fine, again as I have nothing to hide. When I asked why they had chosen to ask me this the reply was that they ask everyone which is extremely strange as all the other women who were in that day had not been asked that question (the assessment unit is small and you can hear conversations easily). The other times it has been a case of feeling like they do not even want to conversate with you. My question is why do a job like this when you clearly have 0 people skills? They come across women of all ages, backgrounds and social status on a daily basis and have a duty of care to pregnant women and their unborn babies. They definitely should not make them feel inferior or uncomfortable recieving care from them! I have never felt so degraded or humiliated in my life and to think I still have the actual birthing part to do! Even though I am 39 weeks now I'm seriously considering changing hospitals and if that isn't possible I definitely will not be using this hospital again after how I have been consecutively treated.
"Humiliating, degrading and I'm yet to actually..."
About: West Middlesex University Hospital West Middlesex University Hospital Isleworth TW7 6AF
Posted via nhs.uk
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