"Poor care and treatment with a 'do as you are..."

What I liked

I have struggled to find acceptable obs and gynae services in this hospital.

There have been individual professionals that have been lovely and are a credit to the service.

What could be improved

In 2006 I had a terrible birth experience which left me worrying about the next one due in September 2011. I was induced and experienced lots of pain before I was classed as in labour. when I was given a epidural it ran out when I was 10 cm dilated and they had turned off the entonox too. I was rushed to theater and had a cesarian birth. My daughter was taken to special care and she is now a lovely 5 yr old. I have since suffered many miscarraiges and have had private treatment to maintain this pregnancy. I am of course worried about the next birth, even though I am booked in for a cesarean.

With my history I am very keen to see the consultant or the same person every time so that I don't have to explain my history. In 3 appointments I have seen 3 different drs even though I arrange to see the same one each time. This morning I had an appointment to see the consultant but he had been called to an urgent meeting and a different dr was there instead. Although she may have been a very good senior registra I had arranged to see the consultant and had been told that he would be there. The last registra I saw was not aware of the treatments I had recieved for recurrent miscarraige and I left feeling that I had wasted my time.

When I tried to re-arrange I was told by the Consultants secretary that I had been offered an appointment and they could not offer another. This left me feeling that I do not have any choice about who I see.

Anything else?

I complained about the service in 2009, when I was left waiting for an op from 8am (when they told me to get there) to 8.30pm when the op was finally performed. I was back home at 12.30am. Poor organisation and communication contributed to this and changes were made as a result. Unfortunately I have had to experience the poor service before they listen and make the service user freindly.

I am so disappointed that with 4 weeks to go I am moving my care to a diferent hospital. I have no faith that KGH can deliver my baby without pain / upset / long waits.

I could not recommend this unit to anyone. It is also old and difficult to make look clean, has very limited single rooms.