"Nottingham Out of hours service"

I have need a lot of medical input since being pregnant and that includes calling out of hours midwives and GPs. I think the staff try their best to be helpful but the system itself is not the best. At first I had to ring the out of hour Midwives reporting pain on my left side made it clear that it felt like kidney pain as I have kidney problems, details were taken by a call handler and then she put me through to an on call midwife. Had to explain it all again to her and she told me to ring the out of hours GPs. I did that straight away. Repeated the same information again to a call handler, then a nurse and then the Dr who rang me about 10 mins later. By this time I was requesting an ambulance because the pain was unbearable and was going to the toilet often.

I was told to attend the walk-in centre in parliament street and will be seen with in 6hrs, so in short I was forced to drive myself into the city centre got there did a urine sample which was raw blood by this time only to get told that they do not see pregnant women and have to get a taxi to Neems Treatment Centre in Derby road.

So once again I had to drive myself to the treatment centre as I would not have left my care in a car park that charges. Got to the Treatment centre and had to wait almost an to be been even though I had an appointment booked and after partner asked them to see me asap as I was in so much agony and going to the toilet every 10 mins or so.

Seen by the Dr and ended up needing hospital admission still no transport was provided and had to get a taxi to QMC because I could not drive at this point. Still we had to find the ward ourself and give them the letter that the doctor had written.

The second time around, I thought there is not point ringing the out of hours midwife or GP, as I knew that I would be told to go to Neems Treatment Centre on Derby Road.

So I got my friend to drive to to Derby Road and just request to see a Dr. But I was told I need to ring 111 and talk to a Dr or nhs direct to get an appointment *sigh*

Phoned the number and got a telling off for not seeing my GP during the week, then got given an appointment 2 1/2 hrs later. Went home and then returned right on time but had to wait an hour and a half to be seen by Dr and ended up with a medication prescription that I had to start asap. Great that means driving to get the medication from a chemist at 6 pm on the weekend.

What a whole load of time wasting! And they wonder why people just go to A&E, were you get seen quick enough if you say the right things and leave with medication.

What is the point of a walk in centre that does not treat people who walk-in? They were full staffed, and seemed empty without any patients! It seemed pointless making me give details on the phone, when they cannot offer a diagnosis. And then referring me to the service I've just been trying to see!

Something needs to be done about this long and so not helpful system. I feel I was passed from pillar to post.