"System error - I felt the doctor blamed me"

I attended Bunbury Hospital for an anaesthetist appointment and was scheduled for a midwife/doctor appointment immediately after. This was my first appointment at Bunbury hospital because I had only recently been informed that we were classed as a high-risk pregnancy, so I was already feeling quite new to this hospital and out of my comfort zone - I was originally planning to birth at a different hospital. I informed reception that I was there for both appointments, and even when the appointments were made over the phone the staff assured me it would be okay having my appointments booked straight after each other.

The assisting midwife took my measurements for the doctor's appointment before I attended the anaesthetist appointment as well to ensure I was ready to go once I finished with the anaesthetist. The anaesthetist appointment ran over by 5 minutes - I know it was 5 because I was watching the clock because I was worried about missing my next appointment. I returned to the waiting area and sat and started waiting again. After some time the midwife who took my measurements asked if I'd been seen yet, which I hadn't. She took my paperwork and informed me she would make sure I was to be seen soon.

Again, I waited for a long time, all the while watching several other pregnant families coming in, seeing the doctor, and then leaving. I even had the reception staff and other medical staff asking whether I had been seen yet and if there was anything they could do. The same midwife from before even came up to me and explained that she was getting upset for me, which I was grateful for.

Eventually, after an hour and a half of waiting, I watched the doctor come out of their room and call for another pregnant family to enter their room. I interrupted and explained that I had been waiting for a long time to see them and wasn't sure why they hadn't called my name yet. The doctor asked my name, and then when I told them I recall they replied that they’d called my name and I didn't answer so they assumed I wasn’t here. I told them that I was in another appointment and it wasn't my fault - in all honesty I could have been in the toilet or stepped outside for a moment, but either way I couldn't understand how they only asked once. I had even seen other doctors come out and call for other people several times while I was there, so I knew this was unusual.

The doctor ended up interrupting me while I was explaining and put their hand up to me to gesture that I could stop talking, and said they would see the people that they just called in and then they would see me. After about 15 minutes of waiting they called me into their room, they didn't look me in the eye or even smile. They asked me to sit, and then they went and got the midwife who asked for my paperwork earlier. She stood at the doctor’s door, and gestured to the paperwork on their door which is obviously where they see who is next in line. Only gestured, no words. The midwife grabbed out the paperwork, and it became evident that my paperwork had become mixed up with some other paperwork somehow. The midwife grabbed my paperwork and handed it to the doctor, who again, said no words, but instead just looked at the midwife quite rudely. I felt the doctor essentially made an example of the midwife in front of me.

The midwife left and the doctor started their appointment with me. No smile, no eye contact. Quick close-ended questions. I felt like I had inconvenienced them somehow! I felt unwelcome, and like just another number in their day. Not a great feeling when you’re already feeling very new to the hospital. The doctor ended the appointment and only signed my paperwork, they didn’t even write their name.

I left the appointment feeling jilted, worried, and nervous about coming back to Bunbury for my birth. I was particularly nervous about whether that doctor would have anything to do with my birth on the day. Their energy and attitude towards me is the last thing I would want anywhere near me while giving birth as a first-time mother, so naturally I cried quite a bit after my experience because the last thing I can imagine doing is starting my birthing experience with something negative by asking for a certain doctor to not attend. I consulted with my obstetrician who informed me of the care opinion option, and I feel it is important to share my story because it’s not okay for anyone to have this experience.

I thankfully have spoken to some of the midwives from Bunbury since this experience and they seem lovely, so they have calmed my nerves a bit. I will also request for this doctor not to come into my room on the day, and I have since found out their name.