Private Hospitals in South East England

[southcoaster]

I was wondering if anyone knows of any private hospitals in the South East or NHS Hospitals with private wards in the area? I am in West Sussex and baby no.2 is due in January. I would love to go to a private clinic in London but it is just too far away.

[sunriseanja]

Hi,
why do you want to go to a private hospital?
You certainly will have cleaner rooms but the chances of medicalized birth are much higher.

Greetings,

Sunriseanja

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

Peace & quiet, privacy and a clean toilet and bathroom/shower would have been bliss post natally so if money is no object I'd go private but in a private wing of an NHS hospital with all emergency facilities on hand.

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

Where I live you're lucky to get the attention of a midwife who has bothered to read your notes and they are chronically shortstaffed, the toilets were DISGUSTING and if you dared mention it you got filthy looks and muttering behind your back that "This isn't a bl**dy hotel, why didn't she just wipe up the blood with paper towels and then use the toilet instead of coming to the desk and making a song and dance about it". The local maternity unit kept very quiet about having infected people with MRSA until it was leaked to the local paper.

I'm only guessing but I think if I'd asked for a fan to cool me down in a private wing, one would have been found before I was vomitting and feeling very hot and faint - having curtains/blinds at the window would help.

That's why I'd go private if money was no object. I'd also get myself tested for MRSA just before admission and pre-warn them that I would be suing the hospital if I had any HAI on or immediately after being discharged.

[moocowme]

when i went to the Portland they did an MRSA test on addmision.

was reading their literature and they state theat they have never had a patient pick it up while their.

[Flumpybumpy]

You can pay for a private room at East Surrey Hospital.

[southcoaster]

Because of 1st birth experience and for medical reasons I'd like to have a c-section and am willing to pay for a bit more post-natal comfort, that's why I'm looking at private options. There's a better choice in London (as can be seen on the other thread) but it's a different story down here.

[Flumpybumpy]

I have heard that the C Section aftercare at Princess Royal is brilliant. I have had two sections at ESH and the aftercare was okay. Not paid for the private room however, wish I had as it had it's bathroom and DH could have stayed as long as he wanted.

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

StarlightMckenzie

No not a MLU, our nearest one of those is over 30 miles away and has been under threat of closure for some while.

[sykes]

Had an elective c-section at East Surrey, had a private room. The c-section was good - great staff and I really enjoyed it after a rather horrid first birth with emergency cc. but can't say the private room was very good. It seemed grubby/dingy despite it being cleaned thoroughly, apparently.
First night had to stay on general ward as they had to keep me under observation. Ward was much nicer, huge and only one other woman on the ward. Should have stayed there. Have heard that Kingston/Epsom are better.

[Cakehead]

Have had two very good experiences at Epsom. It is NHS but you can pay for a private room. First birth was natural with a well-administered epidural after 10 hours, the second was a planned C-sec due to breech baby. In both cases, the NHS care was great, but the private room gave me the space and peace I wanted. Was spotlessly clean with good facilities.

[southcoaster]

Thanks for all that. Am further down on southcoast so some of these might be too far away but will look into all possibilities, especially now that they have decided to downgrade Chichester hospital