Introduction to the Problem
A woman has lost all trust in a hospital after feeling dismissed following a miscarriage. The 41-year-old visited the early pregnancy unit at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, after bleeding at almost 11 weeks pregnant. She was told to return the next day and later found out that she had miscarried.
Previous Experiences with the Hospital
The woman had previously visited the hospital for fertility issues and had supported the gynecology department in 2018. During her care, she underwent investigations for possible endometriosis but was removed from a list because she had not attended a physiotherapy appointment that she claimed she was never notified about. After an urgent referral from her family doctor, she attended another appointment, which she described as "fairly terrible". She complained to the hospital’s patient advice and liaison service (Pals) about patient counseling.
Discovery of the Missed Appointment
It was discovered that the missed appointment was intended for someone with the same name. The woman said, "I lost the full trust in them. Not only did the friends and the two consultants who led the investigation not notice that this data had been injured, the legal team still had no excuse for it."
Recent Experience with the Hospital
In 2023, after bleeding, the woman sought support from the hospital’s early pregnancy unit after five weeks. At almost 11 weeks, she experienced another bleeding and returned to the hospital, where she felt that the staff were "repellent". She was told to wait and come back the next day but then learned that her baby had died. The woman said, "Nobody should ever have to feel that way. I never want to return to this hospital because even after I went through the complaint and everything, nothing came of it."
Diagnosis and Transfer to Another Hospital
The woman was later transferred to the recurrent miscarriage clinic at the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge, where it took 12 weeks to diagnose her with endometriosis and adenomyosis. Endometriosis is a condition where cells similar to those that grow in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body, while adenomyosis is a condition where the lining of the womb grows into the muscle in the wall of the womb.
Response from the Hospital
A preliminary managing director at the hospital said, "Our patients deserve the highest care standards, and we apologize under any circumstances in which we do not meet these standards." The hospital encouraged patients and their relatives to contact the patient advice and liaison service (Pals) if they have any concerns.
Culture of Complaint
The woman said, "There is a culture that you can’t complain… but I have the feeling that we need it because the way many people are treated is not okay. The excuses of financing and the lack of personnel and the fact that the hospital is propped up… is not the patient’s fault." The hospital responded by saying that all concerns are taken seriously and that patients and their relatives should contact the patient advice and liaison service if they have any concerns.
