# Modified complaint letter



## chrissier (Mar 16, 2005)

I have taken all names out and hope this is now acceptable.  If anyone has any ideas of how I could improve the letter I would be very grateful as I want this to have impact.





30 October 2006

Managing Director P District Hospital





Dear Mr

I gave birth to twins at P Maternity Hospital in May of this year.  It was one of the worst experiences of my life and I could very easily have lost my life and the twins.  Most of the antenatal care I received was good but towards the end of my pregnancy I had serious concerns which I passed on to my consultant but which were ignored and put down to the twin pregnancy.

By 36 weeks it was obvious my twins were doing well and were a good size.  However, I was very concerned about my own health as my legs and ankles were very swollen and I was having trouble mobilising and was quite out of breath.  I requested that the birth be induced early but my request was denied and I was rather patronisingly told to expect these discomforts when carrying twins.

I attended antenatal day care on two occasions in which I also mentioned my concerns but they were brushed under the carpet.  It was only when I turned up at the maternity unit in the night with worries about my right knee, which had become very swollen that anyone took notice of my concerns.  I was finally admitted but it wasn’t until half way through the next day that my leg was scanned for possible DVT.  It was certainly not treated as urgent.  It turned out that I did have a serious condition of DVT in the femoral vein.  I was put on blood thinning injections and it was decided to induce the birth.  I was induced on two separate occasions on consecutive days but when I failed to go into proper labour I was not further induced as emergencies turned up which meant I was placed on hold as non-urgent.  During this time my blood was very thin with an INR of around 4 or more.  I now know that this is dangerous and had I gone into labour and started to haemorrhage my life would have been in danger.  After 2 days of being given drugs to induce labour it was decided a mistake had been made and it would be better to do a Caesarean Section.  After a discussion with Mr H in which he strongly recommended Caesarean as the safest option it was decided to go that route.  I was told to prepare for surgery at 9.00 am on 7 May and I was taken off the heparin to bring my INR to safe levels for surgery.  However the surgery was delayed until midday due to further emergencies.  By the time I went into surgery I was feeling nervous and anxious.

Once the operation had got underway, I began to relax and look forward to the birth.  However, as my first-born son was being lifted from my body, Mr H asked me if the babies were from my own eggs or a donor.  To say that I felt deflated would have been an understatement and what should have been one of the most special and magical moments for my husband and I was spoiled by his insensitive and thoughtless question.  However, this was a sign of things to come as we had more and more horrors ahead of us.

There were many incidents worthy of mention here, but here is a selection for your consumption

1	In the days following my Caesarean section I had a total of 6-8 serious haemorrhages in which I lost a large volume of blood which had to be replaced by blood transfusion
2	I was placed in a room so small that I could hardly move in sauna like conditions as the only room for twins was not available
3	During my 13 night stay the babies and I were moved 6 times as I was shunted around the hospital as my room was needed for emergencies
4	On a number of occasions I was brought the wrong drugs or drugs I had been prescribed were not brought to me due to staff shortages and error.  I had to double check I was being given the right drugs otherwise I might not be here today.  I was brought heparin injections when I was on Warfarin because the midwife did not read my notes correctly.  My antibiotics were frequently forgotten as it meant turning over a page in my notes as the midwives frequently forgot to do that.
5	On a number of occasions I had need to press the emergency button, but it sometimes took up to 20 minutes for anyone to attend.  On 2 occasions I was haemorrhaging on the toilet and had to shuffle to the corridor and call for help with my knickers around my ankles and blood gushing out of my wound
6	Midwives shouted at my husband because he asked for help with nappy changing and feeding whilst I was weak and incapacitated.  He was told that they didn’t have time to do those jobs while he was there and he would have to manage by himself.  These are our first babies and he was very nervous of handling them by himself and also very stressed and worried about me.  It was extremely callous and uncaring of your staff to treat him like that.
7	On one occasion I was nursing my babies and a midwife was sitting with me.  She suddenly asked me what nationality the mother was (of my babies).  My babies were conceived using donor eggs abroad.  I had never discussed the conception with any of the hospital staff and was absolutely stunned when she asked this question and extremely confused.  I couldn’t understand why she was referring to the donor as the mother of my babies or why she should ask me such a question unless it was to upset me
8	Mr H asked my husband if he thought I might be suffering from depression and whether I might need some treatment.  I would suggest that anyone would be a little down under the circumstances and again am amazed at his crassness
9	Last but not least, I was disgusted at the filthy state of the wards and of the toilets.  I had an open wound, which could easily have become infected and every time I used a toilet the bowl was covered with excrement.  The rooms were not cleaned properly and rolls of dust could be seen under the beds along with discarded medicine pots

I was warned early on in my pregnancy that P Maternity Hospital was short staffed and badly managed.  Many people in my antenatal class were choosing to go to H Hospital in H even though it meant travelling a considerable distance as they had either heard terrible things about P Maternity Hospital or they had experienced it first hand with earlier pregnancies.  I decided to stick with P as I was carrying twins and didn’t want to chance going into labour whilst stuck on the A1 in traffic.  Your hospital has a very bad reputation in the community and I am surprised that nothing is apparently being done to improve matters.   Your hospital is failing pregnant women and turning what should be one of the most wonderful moments for a couple into a horror story.  I am not exaggerating my claims, as you will see if you look in my hospital notes.  Admittedly I am an older mother, but my health and fitness was excellent when I embarked on this pregnancy and I fell pregnant on my first course of IVF.  I had an uneventful pregnancy until the last few weeks and my blood pressure was excellent.  Had more care been taken towards the end then I might have avoided the terrible time that was to follow.  The first few months of the twins’ life were spent with me confined to my bedroom and district nurses attending to me daily.  My wound has still not healed properly and is still open and oozing.  

In summary, I intend to send a copy of this letter to the Department of Health as the level of care I received is not worthy of a hospital in the developed world in the 21st Century.  I would also like to see matters of egg donation treated more sensitively by your staff and hope that other women will not experience the crass and hurtful comments that I did.  

Yours sincerely


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## three_stars (Jan 19, 2006)

Hi CHrissier,

I am flabbergasted.. it is far worse then the bad experience I had at hospital after birth of my DD (filthy bathrooms even though brand new ward, no help, having to have a "Break down" just to get some medical attention, etc.).  Please send me a PM to tell me the name so I never end up in such a wretched place.  

And it goes beyond all belief that they would make such comments about the babies.  Look at that women who naturally just had twins, one white, one black.  Who is to say that all babies look exactly like their mom on birth.  ( Actually I thought mine rather looked like an alien... a beautiful welcome one but certainly not bearing ANY resemblence to either of us at birth. 

I think you must let the dept health know of this and hopefully prevent this for others.  but I also hope you can put this experience out of your mind and enjoy your lovley twins. 
b123


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## roze (Mar 20, 2004)

Chrissie,

I remember you first discussing this when it happened.  
I am glad that you have decided to take this action as this hospital really needs to be sorted out so that others do not suffer.  This has really been appalling treatment and I am so sorry that this has clouded the arrival of your babies.

This would I think warrant some sort of DoH investigation.  Have you tried your MP as well?

When I started to have my m/c last year, I went to a well known hospital in London, in a very affluent area. I have been in many casualty departments, but not one where the toilets were so filthy that the ' mess' was trailed all over the a+e itself.  I could not believe it and at that time I really felt that if I ever had the opportunity to give birth, I would choose a hospital abroad. After reading your case, I am now seriously considering going to France to give birth, where I believe the care is excellent, and where MRSA does not exist.

My new GP has been clear with me that most people in obstetric services will not have much experience of IVF or donor conception and hence may have some unusual perspectives on the situation based on lack of knowledge, and perhaps also a great deal of curiosity. It is for this reason that we are keeping any mention of donation off my notes, and possibly explains the comments you received.

I hope that you will be able to put this experience behind you at some point, but good luck with your complaint.

regards


roze


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## crusoe (Jun 3, 2005)

Chrisser

I think your letter is excellent and I am so pleased that you are fighting against the apalling treatment you have had to suffer.

My own stays in hospital for appendix and following my miscarriage echo your complaints about the lack of cleanliness,lack of care and drugs not being administered correctly. While I was in hospital nursing staff didn't appear to know who had had their drugs and who hadn't. The ill and clearly distressed lady in the bed opposite me couldn't remember so they gave her some more! They took my drugs (progynova and progesterone) off me and locked them away and refused to give them to me at the times I should have been taking them saying they hadn't prescribed them and didn't know what they were for. Fortunately I had more at home which my DH brought in and I carried on taking them until Ceram said to stop.

I live in dread of having further contact with the NHS and wish I had complained about the treatment I had but apparently you only have 6 months to make the complaint and it is now too late for me.
Please persue this Chrisser and I hope you receive some explainations and apologies and I hope you can move forwards from this and hopefully prevent it happening to someone else.

Love Crusoe


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## bluebell (Dec 9, 2004)

Well done Chrissie ..
...perfect letter that should have a lot of impact.  I agree with Roze that it would be good to make this political locally as well, ie through your Councillors and MP.
So good to hear from you as well.  Keep posting !
Big kisses to your lovely babes !  I miss them !
Bluebell xxx


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## chrissier (Mar 16, 2005)

Thanks for your replies everyone.  I sent it today so will let you know what response I get (if any)!

Chrissie xxxxx


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## hola69 (Nov 17, 2005)

Hi Chrissie,

I was apalled at the contents of your letter..it actually scared me into thinking I might not go NHS if Am lucky enough to get preggers..I know not all will be like that but to have such a catalogue of errors is just shocking in this day and age.. WELL DONE for addressing this with them and I hope that something now happens.

I cant beleive that someone read your notes and mentioned the ''mother'' how rude, insensitive and hurtful..

If I do get preggers Im going to ask that that is kept out of my notes when going to the hospital as even my own mother doesnt know yet Im having Egg donation and to have some random nurse openly asking you about something so confidential really worries and upsets me..whats wrong with these people!!

Hope youre twins are fine, congratulations and enjoy enjoy  

Love Lesley xxxx


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## ♥JJ1♥ (Feb 11, 2006)

Hi Chrissie
You poor soul- it is amazing you all came out alive!!!  It is a well written letter, have you also considered sending it to the Royal College of Midwives, or your local LSA.  There was a programme about the shortage of midwives and the impact on care, as so many are due to retire etc.

I would just mention that as a nurse in the NHS I so see things that I cringe and makes me ashamed to be part of the profession, but we can change things there is no excuse for bad manners and disrespectful behaviour, dirt - but I never would work outside the NHS (well never say never, but it hasn't left me for 20 years in the UK) as it is a way of being able to help more people unconditionally, and private hosiptals may have carpets and curtains but if you need ITU and the babies needs a level 2/ 3 NICU you are often shunted straight back to a NHS hospital as they cannot provide those highly specialist services safely..

I recently overheard a Dr dictating a referral letter about a little girl on our unit to another respiratory consultant and he said ' Conceived with donor eggs....' I stopped him and challenged as to why that information was needed, was it nosiness, but he explained that it was because she had an unexplainable chest problem, and that for her half her genetic make up was not accessible for investigations - so I could see his point. I am using donor sperm so I guess the same (hopefully!!) could apply to me.

We also had triplets on the ward and one of the nurses openly but innocently asked the Mum were they IVF babes  and she said 'No they were my gift from God'- but then so are all babies!!! but it was just a remark that she could have been offended by but was OK with it.

Good luck with your response

L xx


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