"Chaotic and lacking in compassion"

I was referred to A&E on 27/12/2017, by my midwife, with suspected miscarriage.

The triage nurse did try and show some consideration by taking us into a side room off reception to try to give a bit of privacy while describing the symptoms being experienced. Although this room had part of the ceiling which had fallen down and no one had thought to get, at least, cleaned up.

Following that we were led into a cubicle- to sit with 6 other patients.

Following that I had to describe, yet again, what I was going through to a nurse and then to a doctor (while sat in this room with various other patients, doctors and nurses coming and going)

The doctor said they would do some blood tests to “check I was actually pregnant” despite the fact I was sat there with my maternity notes and I had been told to come into A&E by my midwife.

The nurse then came back to take some blood samples to test. Even after being told I wasn’t very good with needles- she still proceeded anyway. Needless to say I ended up passing out. I was still sat on a chair at this point and I came back around with my husband clinging onto me to stop me falling to the floor. My husband had to ask for the screen the room to be pulled around as the nurse hadn’t thought of this- even though all of this was causing some distress to other patients sat waiting in the same cubicle.

I was given a chair to raise my feet, which was then whisked away less than a minute later by another doctor for someone to sit on. Leaving me feeling dizzy and sick again.

We were then left for further 2 and a half hours we no further information. Just with doctors and nurses coming in and out of this cubicle with nobody seeming to remember where they had left their patients or equipment.

The cramping, pain and bleeding I had been experincing continued to get increasingly worse and with no further information I had become rather upset.

Just as we were reaching being at A&E for over 4 hours the doctor came back and callously asked “why are you crying”.

The doctor then said yes I was pregnant and to go home. He gave me a leaflet titled “threatened miscarriage” & said he would refer me to the Early pregnancy unit (as by this time they had closed even though we had arrived at A&E well within their opening hours).

I still was unsettled the next morning so called my midwife who also referred me to the Hinchingbrooke EPU. I am still waiting for the EPU to call me back (3 weeks after the first referral, despite me calling them multiple times myself).

Following this I have tried to obtain a copy of my notes but was told my notes had been lost.

I then called Peterborough hospital and the treatment there could not have been better- completely in contrast to my experience with Hintchinbrooke. Sadly the news was that I had indeed had a miscarriage. But at least I know at Peterborough they are actually looking into the underlying causes they have found & that I will be treated with care and compassion