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How easy are your Midwifes to get hold of?

Where i am it seems like such a STUPID system!!! SHe is only in my surgery once a week for appts only so doesnt hang around. So i called the ward it says to in my pink folder and no one there so gave mea another number to call and leave a message and someone will call me back. Well the answer phone i have left a message on i happen to know where it is andt hey are only there in the mornings, so if you leave a message after they have gone thats it, have to wait until the next day!!!!

What if it was something urgent??

Seems like a really stupid system, surely it shouldnt be this hard to get hold of someone??

xxxx

Replies

  • Not easy at all - its rubbish!

    I don't have a midwife assigned to ME - I have a telephone number to ring between 7.30am and 3.30pm and the receptionist there will listen to my question and either put me through to a midwife, get one to ring me back, or send me to my doctor!

    The 'team' of midwives at my health centre (who see me for my regular antenatal appointments) don't even deliver babies at my hospital which seems really pointless to me!!!!!!!

    Joo xxx
  • That sounds like a nightmare too hun!!! i luckily have a midwife who i will see throughout and is also based at the hospital i plan to give birth, jsut seems crazy how impossible it is to speak to someone!!!!

    xxx
  • I have my own MW who does all my ante-natal care (and will come out and see LO once she arrives) but she doesn't actually deliver babies, and can't be contacted out of her clinic hours (even then, it's tricky - I'd have to leave a message with the receptionist, and ask her to call me back).

    If I have a problem out of hours, I just phone the birth centre (that I am booked into) and they are always really nice and helpfull. Or I could phone the EPU, my MW gave me both numbers at my booking in appt.

    Its horrid when you want some advice and can't get in touch with anyone!

    xx
  • That is rubbish I left a message for my MW and she called me back the next day??? it seems pointless them saying you can call if you need them you know?

    K XX
    19+5
  • I cannot contact my mw directly but I have a number to call. The MW team is there 9-5 and can either help or get my MW to call. Out of hours the number gets diverted to the labour ward so I can speak to them if need be.

    I would check with MW on your next appt that you have all the numbers. I have about 6 I can call for different things!

    Tara 33+6
    I can always contact someone or be put through to the right area. iI understand you can't always speak to your own MW (she has a life too so isn't available 24/7) but you should have someone you can contact at any time of the day? I would
  • Gosh i'm shocked i love my midwife, i've had the same one with all three of my prenancies and my hubby laughs that i keep getting pregnant to spend time with Pam lol. She is my assigned midwife within a team of seven, they are easily contactable, if you get the answermachine they always call back within the hour. My midwife is at our GP'S surgery twice a week and always says if you can't get an appointment on the day just pop in at the end of surgery as she hangs around for an hour or so. She comes to do home visits too and always stays ages - i sometimes wonder if she has other patients - i feel so lucky when i hear of the nightmares some women have with maternity services - but because of the downfalls in the service its seems the good ones fail to get a mention. What region are you in?
    Jo xxxxxxxx

    [Modified by: Jojomummy on March 17, 2009 04:01 PM]

  • I've found epu the best place - if im worried i ring them as mw is hard to get hold of.
    Lisa
    17+4
  • The midwife I see at my surgery is only there 2 afternoons a week and is a community midwife only so doesn't work in the hospital. I have a central number to call and can only leave a message, Messages are collected every morning so it's always at least a 24 turnaround before you get a call back. If I ever had an urgent issue or needed them out of hours I would just call the hospital I think. Fortunately, as I'm having weekly scans and am under a consultant, I feel like I'm getting really good care.


    Despite me explaining the problems we've been having and taking my mountain of notes the other day, my MW hasn't offered me any ante-natal classes yet. I reiterated twice that my twins are due to be delivered at approx 30 weeks. Luckily we are in the middle of our NCT course but she doesn't know that!
  • Sounds exactly like mine! I called to make my 16 week appointment, the hospital told me to ring the clinic, the clinic told me to call sure start(?) and they told me to call the hospital! After nearly 2 weeks of leaving messages and no one getting back to me, they finally called today and said they had booked me an appointment, but no one had
    Bothered to send me a letter (which I need for work)

    They should give you an emergency number though...
  • OHH MMMMYYY GOOD!!!! well i finally got through to the ward and my conversation is as follows

    ME : Hi, iv been trying to get hold of my midwife but i cant get hold of her and was wondering if someone could help me?
    LADY ON PHONE: WHY!!! What do you want to talk to her for (in a REALLY rude aprupt mannor!)
    ME: slightly shocked by the response) I have a question and wanted to talk to someone.
    LADY: well she is most probably busy with other mums
    ME: i understand that but who else can i talk to
    LADY: ME!!! im a midwife!!

    Am i being really stupid and hormonal or was this really rude?

    xxxx
  • omg stephs thats awful how she spoke to you. id make a complaint, the cheeky cow!

    my midwives are fairly easy to get hold of, we have the health centre number for non emergency things where they get back to you that afternoon or the following day and we an urgent number where they get back to you within half an hour, but they usually phone back 5 mins after. we can also phone the local midwife led unit and talk to someone there. i guess im lucky as i dont really have any trouble getting hold of someone xxxx
  • My midwife is pretty easy to get, I have her mobile number! There are days when she doesnt work, and its switched off then, or if she ia at a home delivery, but she has always called me back within a few hours if i leave her a message. Failing that i call the Maternity assessment clinic at the hospital (k-lou you can call them too, the number should be in the back of your notes) and there is always someone there to talk to. Clearly i'm one of the lucky ones, i cant believe how hard some of you find it to get thru to someone, what if it was urgent??!! xxxx
  • My midwife is pretty easy to get, I have her mobile number! There are days when she doesnt work, and its switched off then, or if she ia at a home delivery, but she has always called me back within a few hours if i leave her a message. Failing that i call the Maternity assessment clinic at the hospital (k-lou you can call them too, the number should be in the back of your notes) and there is always someone there to talk to. Clearly i'm one of the lucky ones, i cant believe how hard some of you find it to get thru to someone, what if it was urgent??!! xxxx
  • my midwife is pretty easy to get hold of i have her mobile number and when shes not working and her mobile is turned off i have her pager number and an out of hours emergency number too i think its awful how you were spoken to steph i would complain with my 1st pregnancy when i was in labour i had a very patronising midwife on the phone who said you cant possibly be in advanced labour if your waters only broke an hour ago dont be silly and call back in 3-4 hours shes lucky i ignored her as i gave birth shortly afterwards some midwifes deffo have a degree in rudeness
    claire x
    32+3
  • not easy at all - can only speak to mine on a Tuesday as she's a community MW and only at my surgery once a week - have to leave a message at lunchtime on Tues for her to call me back! ...otherwise I have MW office number at the hospital where one will try to help! can't believe how different it is for everyone! xx
  • OHH MMMMYYY GOOD!!!! well i finally got through to the ward and my conversation is as follows

    ME : Hi, iv been trying to get hold of my midwife but i cant get hold of her and was wondering if someone could help me?
    LADY ON PHONE: WHY!!! What do you want to talk to her for (in a REALLY rude aprupt mannor!)
    ME: slightly shocked by the response) I have a question and wanted to talk to someone.
    LADY: well she is most probably busy with other mums
    ME: i understand that but who else can i talk to
    LADY: ME!!! im a midwife!!

    Am i being really stupid and hormonal or was this really rude?

    xxxx

    I hate to say it but it doesn't sound rude to me at all! I think you possibly are a bit hormonal and maybe took her the wrong way as you are stressed and annoyed at not being able to get hold of anyone? It is the exact sort of thing my mw line says when I call and they are definitely not being rude image
  • I don't have a midwife assigned to me but am seen by one of a small ish team at our our local birthing centre. Obviously it is staffed 24/7 and if I ever want to speak to someone day or night they are there and so far I couldn't fault the service.

    It still amazes me how much services vary, we didn't get an NHS 12 week scan but do seem to have a very good general level of care!

    Bec 31+5 x
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