When did we become so litigious that a clinical mistake like a false positive HIV test becomes a legal matter? If you do get legal representation, I hope firstly the matter proceeds to court and secondly you win. Otherwise, it could be a costly exercise for what is essentially a non-event.

Hello.
I understand it is very stressful to get any new diagnosis, especially while being pregnant. However, you need to get over yourself . I am a specialist in the HIV/GUM field in the NHS and although I do not work at St Georges Hospital and do not know the full story of how the diagnosis was delivered to you or what happened exactly, the HIV test is very sensitive and we deal with many false positive results on a weekly basis (as we do Hep C). I won't go into the science of it all but it can happen and mistakes at labs can happen- especially when there have been so many posts cuts(less staff) as the NHS is on it knees. We are so fortunate to have the NHS and are able to test for free for such important blood borne viruses in pregnancy. St Georges have already had a huge cut to their HIV/GUM services/ budget just this year- if people like you really want to sue a service where the staff go over and beyond, working through their breaks delivering the best care they can 24/7 to you for just the price of your national insurance then go ahead- I am warning you, we won't have a service at all for when your kids grow up.

No one was harmed and your baby and you were not put at risk- that would be a different story. Try working on the inside of the NHS-times are tough and targets are high and resources are stretched. I can guarantee you any staff involved in this would have been really impacted by giving a pregnant lady a false positive result and causing her undue stress. I seriously don't think people realise how much pressure is on NHS staff. Suing them is really going to help.

Good luck with your pregnancy

I can imagine that this has been very stressful for you...

A few years ago (when my children were 4, 6 and 9 years old) my husband was diagnosed with Cancer by the team at St. George's. At the time he was being treated for a DVT and bi-lateral pulmonary embolism as well as being under the cardiac team at St. George's - we've got to know a lot of the doctors there over the last few years! At a terrifyingly scary time, we then got the news that his cancer had been picked up in a scan a few months before the official diagnosis but a technician hadn't been able to read the notes written in someone's handwriting, and the re-scan requested didn't happen. St. George's were totally upfront about it, and did ask us if we wanted to take further action, however, we decided to see how the treatment went and to make a decision when operations etc. were out of the way.

We have been so blessed that the treatement went well and my husband has now been in remission for a few years. His aftercare has been wonderful and we took the decision not to take further action as we didn't want to add to the headaches and significant costs the NHS experiences. I do appreciate that your situation is completely different but our view was that 'we' had been very well cared for and as there was no ongoing issue caused by the delay there was no need to take legal action. We were reassured that a full investigation was carried out and re-training was offered where needed - end of matter.

I am glad that you got good news after the bad, as we did, and I hope that all goes smoothly from now on. I am not sure if this helps you make a decision, but having seen how seriously the hospital took the situation (which after all meant that my husband had cancer for longer than he would otherwise had had it) I hope you feel reassured that they do work hard to try to stop these things from happening. Good luck with whatever you decide

Dear Rebecca
That is a shocker!!
Get in touch with BirthRights - a national organisation set up to support women in their fight against mistreatment during pregnancy and birth. Manned by lawyers and dedicated to empowering women to receive the treatment during pregnancy and birth they wish for. it is your legal right to choose your place of birth.
Here is the link:
http://www.birthrights.org.uk

Nadia
www.nadiarafat.com

Agree with gymgoer, bad experience but it will have been a lab issue and unlikely to have been anything to do with maternity services themselves. Key thing is your confidence in the midwives you meet and their ability to answer your questions and their care. Good luck and just put it down to experience.

have you considered having a doula and switching hospital?

Just be happy you don’t have it and move on . I’m sorry you had a bit of trauma but were you really injured enough to sue? The NHS has enough to cope with and is under enough financial strains . If they cut off your wrong leg I might agree but sorry just move on. And this comes from an American .

Change hospitals- to Chelsea and Westminster or another nearby

Wow - that must be super scary - just so I understand they said you had HIV but they were wrong?

http://www.babyintuition.co.uk/about-us/4590757111 these people might be able to help?

As it being pregnant isn’t hard enough but to be diagnosed with with HIV and it to be false

Looking for anyone who can represent me legally and a midwife so I can have a homebirth , all of a sudden St George’s doesn’t seem so appealing