Can I change hospitals?

[redkennedy]

Finally got my first midwifes appointment but straight away have been told by other mums that the Central Middx Brent birthing centre where ive been refered to is grotty and disgusting, to the point where a couple of them have lied about their addresses so they can go to Queen Charlottes or St Marys. Obviosuly I want to make up my own mind when I go (not til Nov 9th) but if I do think its not for me, do I have a choice?
Im equa-distant between all 3 hospitals, but i think only Central Middx is in my health authority.. Thanks ladies xx

[Boowila]

Refuse to book in to Central Mid. if you don't want to go there. Check out www.birthchoice.co.uk for some stats.

I refused St. Peters in Chertsey a couple of years ago and got into Queen Charlottes. QC is lovely. I highly recommend it. I did have to change GPs and stomp my feet to get away from St. Peters but come Hell or high water, I wasn't going there.

[Boowila]

Oh, and how far along are you?

[katyjo]

I was under the impression that it is your right to choose. I was asked which hospital I wanted to go to by my midwife at my first appointment. Most midwives are fairly good,esp with new mums ask her opinion of different hosp, always good to get her onside.
I would say that everyone has a different experience and it is really the midwives that are present during your labour and hospital stay that make things easier (or harder!), don't worry about it too much, we have a brand new hospital which I have heard bad reports from, and I had my ds at the oldest hospital in my area and it is a bit tired looking and the facilities are not the best, but I had a good labour experience and couldn't have given too hoots about the decore.
Listen to people, but make your own decision at the end of the day. Good luck - have a wonderful pregnancy!! XX

[QueenQuootieSpookypieBee]

Course you have a choice! I live near Heatherwood, but its only midwife led, so, if I needed more attention id have to go by ambulance to Wexham (yuk), so I opted for Frimley (which is much nicer and better stats). I just said "im going to Frimley". Id had one scan at Heatherwood, but it didnt matter.

[Creena]

Yes, you can totally change your mind if you want to! At my booking appointment with my midwife, I talked about going to a midwife led unit in my area. My midwife was great - she talked me through all of my options in detail and then suggested that, if I was in any doubt, I should go on a tour at each facility and then see how I feel. She's booked me in at the midwife led unit but reassured me that I can change my mind later on if I want to.

The birthchoice.uk site mentioned earlier is really helpful and I would also recommend having a look at it.

[lulumama]

should be birth choice website

[alex8]

have you been to west midds? Perhaps you should have a tour first to make sure what its like. Then you could ask to change if you don't like what you see. I have 2 friends who were very happy with it and chose to go back their for 2nd babies. Saying that Queen Charlottes is very nice.

[redkennedy]

Thanks for the advice ladies - Im approx 10 weeks gone and havent seen anyone yet apart from my rather disinterested GP, so thus far as it hasnt been verified by someone professional that I am actually pregnant, it all feels like Im talking about someone else (but at the same time theres NO MISTAKING my knockers or the bundles of symptoms including the gallons of spit that Ive only just realised is another one! was freaking me out!)

[Boowila]

You have to get your GP to support you. If he/she won't you have to get another GP. My GP told me I had no choice and I would have to go to St. Peters. He then went into some speal about how it was all TB's fault for telling people they have a choice when in fact they don't hence setting us up for dissappointment. I was furious when I left his office and immediate went and registered with a new GP.

If you look through the archives you can find my story on here in October maybe November of 2004. My screenname is normally Uwila.

[JodieG1]

Yes you can change hospitals, it is up to you totally and it doesn't matter if the gp agrees or not. You are entitled to book in at any hospital that you choose.

[Boowila]

I think you will find in practice that this is not so. I was turned away by both Kingston and West Mid when I was 6 weeks pregnant on the basis that they were full. 6 weeks pregnant? Full? I don't think so.

[Boowila]

Hey, isn't Central Middlesex the hospital where those nurses contracted measels about a year ago?

[JodieG1]

If you are firm when told no and stick to what is your right then you will not get turned away. If you experience problems you can contact various organisations who can help you ie www.aims.org and also your local mp. It is your right to choose any hospital you wish and I've done so myself 3 times.

[blessedchild]

I was booked for Mayday, but changed my mind when I was 33 weeks pregnant. I went through my doctor and told him that I want to change. They say that you need a good reason, my reason was that the god mother lived near the hospital. That was good enough and I got a reply after 1 week accepting me into Kings. No hassle!