"A mixed experience with midwifery services"

I attended midwifery services within Ballymena , unfortunately I had to make a complaint after 20 weeks due to comments that my midwife made to me which were less than satisfactory. As a pregnant young woman who felt very vulnerable given her pregnancy the comments made increased my anxiety and sense of self. I was allocated a new midwife, who was amazing & a live saver for me. They listened and made me feel valued. A kind, caring and compassionate midwife, who deserves to be recognised. I was satisfied that I had been allocated a new midwife and my main concern was the birth of my child and focusing on that. Sadly however I attended the midwife clinic postnatally and saw the midwife I had been seeing originally, they did not acknowledge me or speak whilst I waited in the waiting area with my newborn son. This made me feel very uncomfortable & as though the situation had been my fault. Again at a very vulnerable time, I left that day feeling sad and anxious about attending the clinic again in case the same thing happened. 

To add I found the midwifery services within the hospital unsatisfactory, the wards are sadly not equipped for new mothers, there is no educative / support provided, yet they ask that partners / family have to leave by certain time. This should not be the case if there is no adequate staff to support new mothers who have just given birth and have limited experience. Unfortunately I also experienced a data breach upon arriving home from hospital with someone else’s notes in my green file and I have limited confidence that my information is not within someone else’s file. I reported this and was advised a datix would be completed but I did not get any follow up.

Lastly I was advised 3 days later by community midwife that c2 had phoned to say my iron was low and required a prescription , unfortunately it took me 5 days to get this due to the ward not sending the memo through / updating NICR / letter for my GP to prescribe. This was 5 days in which I would have required that iron, I was the one following this up and phoning people to chase it! Again not satisfactory. I wholeheartedly understand the pressure the trust are under and the staffing pressures however there needs to be changes made to help support mums and babies at a very challenging and vulnerable period in their lives.

To add on a positive note the delivery suite in AAH were great & very professional and kind at all times. They are a credit to the trust and deserve to be acknowledged.