"Appalling experience in TRIAGE of delivery unit"

All I can say is that I am extremely relieved I have had an opportunity to see the delivery unit ahead of my birth to know this is NOT a delivery unit I would recommend for myself or anyone else. Having had fantastic experiences in three other departments within the same hospital, I was thoroughly unprepared and highly dissatisfied with the appalling service I received in triage on the delivery unit. I felt for the dignity too of the poor women who had just given birth. They were wheeled from their rooms in an open corridor, where other patients could see them. I also saw a door left open in the delivery unit with just the curtain drawn. Not something I would appreciate during labour. I, and other women, were kept waiting in a small, stuffy waiting room in the triage. There were only two midwives on duty, who had to attend many women and answer the phone, without any support from support workers or other midwives. I was told the wait would be 1 - 1.5 hours after an already 35 minute wait. The two midwives just seemed to be hopping between two women. Us in the waiting room seemed forgotten about. We were only called in when we actually walked into the office and asked how long the waiting time would be. I was treated with complete disrespect and a total lack of consideration. The midwives I saw (in triage) had the typical attitude of staff in a delivery unit - ie: confident in taking advantage of the patients in their charge. I even overhead one of the midwives saying to the other that she refuses to attend to a particular women! In order to improve the service at the triage of the delivery unit, I would suggest the staff are more controlled in terms of their treatment of patients. The attitude I met was highly unacceptable and reflects either poor management, or management by a labour ward manager who has an equally unacceptable approach to the patients. I appreciate the fantastic service I have received within the other departments in St Marys hospital. I suggest that serious action is taken to ensure this department meets at least the same standard.