My C-section went wrong..advice needed please

LondonDiva

OP - have you actually contacted the complaints manager at the hospital yet?

The longer you leave it, the more difficult it will be for the staff involved to recall what happened from memory and they will be reliant purely on the notes.

If you feel unable to pull the complaint together, please contact ICAS or just copy and paste your various postings on this site and email it to the complaints manager (rather than PALS, head of maternity or obstetrics head etc as it is not their role).

The longer you leave it, the harder it is for all involved to respond to and the longer the potentially poor practice may continue unchecked, and your mind is not at rest. Once you have made your complaint, you don't have to do anything more until they respond either fully or to invite you in for a meeting.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi There!

I would-

(1)Write down as much info you can remember about what happened, what surgeons, nurses said etc and their names. Put it all into a clear precise worded document in time order etc.

(2)Contact PALS and tell them you would like to make a serious medical complaint of lack of care/neglect. They should send out info or tell you over the phone what the protocol is. The complaints manager should be informed immediately.

(3)Get in contact with a solicitor who deals with medical issues and see if they will give you some free legal advice as to what your rights are etc.

If nothing else, you need to make sure that nobody else goes through what you have been through.

I personally would never of let the nurse take the stitches out if the surgeon had said 10 days no matter what the ward said-it's your body, but I understand you thought she/they would know best.

I hope you are better now. This does need to be sorted as you could have died, it is that serious!

Although I am against people smoking especially when they are pregnant or have kids, you did make this clear and clarified this info many times if what you said is true.

I wish you well.

PP
xx

sunshines

You need ring the hospital switch board, ask to be put through to medical records and they will explain the local procedure there.

lynn44 wrote: »

Thanks sunshine
where do I get my medical notes from Dr, Hospital or ante natal/post ward ?
Thanking you

sunshines

Without divulging much about myself, I can say with certainty everyone is entitled to a copy of their medical notes. You don't even need to ask the consultant/doctor's permission for that.

thatgirlsam wrote: »

sorry to hear you had a horrible experience .
--
c-sections are high risk and even more so if you are a smoker
--
i am shocked that your wound was oozing and you were still discharged ... had a pressure dressing been put on it?
-
-are you sure about the stitches being left in for 10 days , this is very unusual because there is a risk that your wound could start to heal over them ... what kind of stitch did they use?
-the continuos one with the bead at the end or the staples ?--

-i had a section 4 years ago .. my wound did not heal so instead of removing the staples on day 5 they did it on day 7 .. my wound burst open because i had MRSA in it ... did they swab you for MRSA?-

-also regarding your notes i doubt you will be allowed a copy of them but you will be able to make an appointment for someone to discuss what is in them with you -

-i would talk to PALS about what has happened here

-

sunshines

OP - another thing, whenver you complain, cc it to the chief executive. That prods the team like nothing else does! I would strongly advise you to start with PALS, but it helps knowing some details (names, times) before you start, hence the need for the notes. And do not waste money on the solicitor yet. You need to find out what exactly happened first. Please do not be offended but sometimes you may find that there may not a 'prosecutable problem' in medico-legal terms.

When you get a copy of your notes, check what was communicated to your GP surgery in terms of care in the community etc. Everyone who is discharged from a hosptial has a dishcarge letter even if it comprises only two words.

See what has been documented about the 'presenting problem' when you were readmitted. Check whether your story has been distorted. Try and find the names of the anaesthetist and others involved in your care. When their names are mentioned in the complaint, their memory returns quickly.

However, do not let this takeover your life. Enjoy the baby and try to give up smoking :-)

lynn44

Thanks for all your much needed helpful replys.
Sunshine, when I was discharged from post natal, I said to my partner didnt sister bring in a discharge letter or something ? he said No just whole bag full of medication and said thats it she's free to go? ( I was in the ladies loo )

I have rang hospital for my medical records,
Had painful day today so will do draft letter with my partner this evening,
Shall I email or send recorded delivery letter ?

ps .. yes I am trying very hard to give up this evil weed

clairec79

the notes shouldn't have gone down to medical records until 28 days after the birth (though it wouldn't surprise me if they are in a managers office for much longer considering what happened)

Was there an envelope containing a letter in the bag of medication? It may not have anything written on the outside of the envelope to say what it is, I know when I was discharged (not maternity) it was just in an envelope with the meds rather than someone saying what.where it was

LondonDiva

You can email the letter to them or send it through the normal post - As it's a complaint, DO NOT go through PALS, but the complaints manager.

You should get all the information you need once you go through them. You can then decide if you want to take legal action after the investigation if you are not happy with the answers.

The hospital website should have information about email addresses and their process. you can also ask for information about ICAS which is the advocacy service which stops you wasting your time with a solicitor unless you want to take legal action.

I would also avoid mentioning legal action unless you have decided that is the way you want to go as it is a different process to complaints.

First thing you need to do is actually make the complaint and then wait for the response / offer of a meeting to discuss and the copy of your records. They will have up to 20 days to supply the records on receipt of payment (if they request it). Records take a while to be gathered in the normal course of things and it can take about 6 weeks for your GP to be sent a discharge summary.

lynn44

Thanks for your reply.
No discharge letter was given.
Only list of medication, which I gave back to hospital when I was re admitted.

I have emailed complaint to complaints manager....

LondonDiva.. can you say why not to go through pals ? just as a matter of interest ? thanks

LondonDiva

PALS is NOT complaints - it is an informal channel to hopefully resolve a problem or get a question answered. You can then make a complaint if you want to, but they are seperate things.

The type of issues you're raising / how you say you feel seems to be a complaint, rather than something that could be sorted out quickly in a couple of days.