Care Opinion

Diagnosing complex fetal issues

Posted By Tired-And-Fed-Up

"Diagnosing complex fetal issues"

About: Caithness General Hospital / Maternity care Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow / Maternity care (Wards 47, 48 & 50) Raigmore Hospital / Maternity care

(as a service user),

At my 20 week anatomy scan I ended up with two scans. At the first they couldn't get photos of my baby's heart so I was booked in for the following week. At the second scan we were told there was something not right with my baby's heart. 

That was all they could tell us. They sent the pictures to Raigmore who agreed it needed looked at. We were then told the specialist in Raigmore had retired and not been replaced so we would need to go to Glasgow. 

This was in December 22 right before Christmas. I spent my birthday and Christmas with no idea what was wrong with my baby. We travelled to Glasgow by train just three days after Christmas, a journey which made me so ill I spent the majority of Inverness to Perth vomiting. To the point we stopped and went to A&E in Perth instead of getting our connecting train into Glasgow. 

At the scan in Glasgow our baby was given a cardiac diagnosis requiring delivery in Glasgow. 

The rest of the care throughout my pregnancy was very good and I can't fault the midwives but that week of waiting between being told something was wrong and that scan was hell just waiting having no idea what would happen.

Even Raigmore would have been a better journey than the almost 300mile one we had to make to find out what was wrong.

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Responses

Response from Isabel Traynor, Clinical Services Manager, Maternity, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 6 months ago
Isabel Traynor
Clinical Services Manager, Maternity,
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

Submitted on 20/03/2024 at 09:43
Published on Care Opinion at 09:43

Dear Tired-And-Fed-Up

Thank you for taking the time to post your experience on Care opinion. I am very sorry that you had to travel to Glasgow, unfortunately this is the closest hospital that provides the specialist care you required.

I will pass on your kind comments about the midwifery care to the team. I hope the rest of your maternity care goes well and you deliver safely in Glasgow.

Best Wishes

Isabel

Isabel Traynor, In-Patient Maternity Clinical Service Manager.

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Response from Callum Lynch, Project Manager, Patient Experience Public Involvement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 6 months ago
Callum Lynch
Project Manager, Patient Experience Public Involvement,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 20/03/2024 at 09:48
Published on Care Opinion at 10:39

Thank you for taking the time to get in touch. I can’t begin to imagine how difficult it was for you and your family whilst waiting for your scan and for the journey to Glasgow. I am sure that NHS Highland will be in touch to discuss this. I apologise for the additional upset and distress this has caused.

I am pleased to hear that the care your received was good and I hope that you and your baby are both doing well.

Best wishes

Callum

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Update posted by Tired-And-Fed-Up (a service user)

Unfortunately I've already spoken to NHS Highland and they had nothing more to say about our care relating to this issue and many others I raised with them about my baby's care since discharge home from hospital at five weeks old.

Thank you for your response though, it helps to know others realise how difficult everything was at that time since it seems NHS Highland don't care.

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