Private care at Queen Charlottes

[Makqueen]

Hi,

I know this is a long shot, but does anyone have and experience of private care at Queen Charlottes hospital?

I had a terrible experience with my first son (at a different hospital) and it's taken me 11 years to even contemplate another pregnancy and I have sacrificed so much over the past two years in order to scrape together the hospital and consultants fees in the hope that I will be treated better this time round.

I have my first meeting there with a consultant, Dr Zhang next week, does anyone have any experience of the private care there? I am anxious because of appalling treatment I received in my last pregnancy which resulted in PND and PTSD.

Thank you.

[Makqueen]

Queen Charlottes in Hammersmith, London, sorry.

[Audrey2013]

Midwives on the Sir Clayton ward kept saying how lovely Dr Zhang is, so she must be nice at least... I've been seeing a different consultant (Mr McCarthy) and was absolutely happy with both him and the private wing staff. Queen Charlottes private wing generally felt homely and relaxed to me...

Then again it depends on what you are looking for (CS, water birth, etc).

So sorry to hear you had such a traumatic time first time round, hope it all goes well this time! Best of luck!

[Makqueen]

Hi, thankyou for posting.

I originally wanted Mr McCarthy, but Dr Zhang appears to be around a grand cheaper, I have saved for so long but my budget won't stretch to him with allowing for contingencies etc.

I had a c section first time round, so will be having another.

Am just a bit worried about an emergency cropping up as I can't afford more than one night extra stay or to be admitted privately due to an emergency in the pregnancy, but hey, if I can't afford it, they will have to understand that for any emergencies I will need nhs treatment.

They have told me to allow 13k for c section all in, life savings will be obliterated, but it's a small price to pay to keep my sanity this time round.

[ozmum23]

I am sorry to hear of your awful experience. I just had to post and say how smoothly everything went for me at Portland hospital. Cannot praise docs and staff there enough. Had both DC there. Have u considered the Portland? I know and have read all the negative comments. My experiences were both v positive.

Hope you find the right hospital for you!

[ozmum23]

If u like i can PM you name of my consultant. She is wonderful.

[TheFantasticFixit]

I am under Mr McCarthy's care - I'm not going private though.

I had my DD at QCCH in 2011 and was incredibly impressed with the care that I recieved. Due to complication post emcs, I was given a private room off the postnatal ward and stayed for a week - the nurses and Mr McCarthy were absolutely wonderful. Given that you say it would obliterate your life savings to go private, would it be worth you speaking to someone about going the NHS route? QCCH is one of the best in the country, and despite a pretty traumatic labour, the care I recieved was absolutely exceptional. Really, I feel you would be paying private fees for a room etc and perhaps additional antenatal, because I can't see how thy could improve on care.

[TheFantasticFixit]

I'm booked in to QCCH with Mr McCarthy for elcs by the way for this pregnancy and its all been very smooth so far.

[TheFantasticFixit]

Oh goodness, I've totally got the wrong end of the stick here - I've just re read and see you are seeingDr Zhang. Sorry OP, disregard my posts!

[helenlouisey]

Hi, I've had both my children privately at The Queen Charlotte (under Mr McCarthy) both were csections, the first emergency and the second one planned. I'm afraid I haven't heard about Dr Zhang, but I can say the ante natal care on Sir Stanley Clayton was excellent both times. The rooms are not plush, but there are very clean and well equipped with everything you need, and the staff are brilliant. I had a lot of help after my emergency csection with washing / dressing when I couldnt do it myself, the staff always had time to sit with me and talk about any worries I had, lots of help breastfeeding and my pain relief and medication was always on time.

I do understand your fears about the cost escalating in the event of an emergency, one good thing with the QC is that if your baby needed to be admitted to Special Care, for example, they automatically switch over to NHS, our son spent 10 days in Special Care which didn't cost us anything. I'm afraid I'm not sure what would happen if you needed a longer stay though and couldn't afford it. How many days have you allowed to stay within your budget? How many weeks pregnant are you? I may be wrong but I think the NHS side of the QC gets booked up very quickly so switching to NHS care there now may not be an option.

Best of luck with your first consultation and the rest of your pregnancy x

[PeriodMath]

Good friend gave birth there in the private wing. Said midwives were horrible, made her feel like a precious princess for finding it tough.

After-care was better, good bfing assistance. But v.traditional eg babies taken to nursery.

[LuciensMoM]

We had our son delivered by Dr Zhang at the Stanley Clayton Ward of Queen Charlottes and would recommend all parties without hesitation, absolutely.

All staff on the ward and especially the midwifes were fantastic. The private ward is quiet and calm at all times with the staff being experienced, knowledgeable and above all, caring. We were given just the correct balance of help, support and space to enjoy our new baby.

The surgical delivery team at the hospital were tremendous. Friendly, knowledgeable and, quite frankly, brilliant. They made us feel relaxed and at ease at all times during the procedure whilst keeping everything professional and efficient.

Dr Zhang was the crowning glory in the whole experience. She kept us informed at all times with detailed explanations of every stage in the process. Her followup was extremely good whilst we were in hospital and she also was fabulous in assisting me 6 days after the birth with an allergic reaction that I developed.

Once again, without hesitation, highly recommended.

[Makqueen]

Hi, sorry this dropped off my threads I'm on list!

To answer a few questions, I am only 8 weeks. I'd love to go to the Portland, but it's far too expensive, they told me about 20k.

I won't contemplate nhs after the treatment I had in my first pregnancy I'm afraid. I had a mmc in April this year and was going to try nhs at Queen Charlottes, but the midwives there were terrible to me all because I have a private GP, they were rude to me and her.

I will be having a second CS, so I want to see a consultant. With my son, on the nhs, I never even met my named consultant and only had the opportunity for a rushed meeting with a registra once.

My son had fluid on his lungs when he was born and no one noticed - his father and I knew there was something wrong, but they rushed the checks. We were sent to the ward with a baby who will wouldn't feed and was increasingly pale and weak.

I was begging and shouting for someone to please look at him and all that happened was a midwife threatened to call the police if I didn't stop. By the time his father physically grabbed a dr, both ds lungs had collapsed. He was in special care for four weeks and almost didn't survive.

I was also physically assaulted by a midwife during my pregnancy. I want to see a consultant - I won't go near midwives.

It was a horrific experience, and if I have to spend my life savings and spend the next five years living in a shoebox to avoid it happening again, it's worth it to me. I have suffered flashbacks for ten years, my experience literally ruined my life - I can't remember much of ds early months.

I can only afford three nights, max. But, after the second night last time I was sleeping in a chair in special care anyway or in my car outside. That wouldn't move me from the maternity ward - it's hell to be surrounded by other mothers and newborns when yours is in special care and might die. i overheard other women saying to the midwives that they were scared I would try to snatch a baby

I only had one dose of pain relief - they were so crap in giving it out that I just got ex h to go to the chemist and get me co codamol instead. There was blood all over the bathrooms, it was horrific, so I walked out.

Thanks for all the stories - I know I am doing the right thing for me, it's good to hear that Dr Zhang is nice.

[fgr]

First of al, you poor thing, have you had counselling? I totally understand where you are coming from, I prefer consultant care as well. Do you have health insurance? If so they should cover a chunk of your bill including the extra nights in hospital which make the bill mount up. I was with bupa and they covered both my sections at the Portland and I had to pay for antenatal care and some of the consultants fees. I can't speak for Queen Charlottes but the Portland midwives are lovely. Have a chat to your consultant as chances are she will deliver at both hospitals and will be used to dealing with insurance companies. Big hugs and hth.

[Makqueen]

I do have insurance but it's only cheap through axa. I only pay £40 per month for me and ds so I assumed it wouldn't cover anything to do with maternity? The CS isn't for medical reasons, I had my first as I couldn't stomach the idea of a natural birth and internal examinations after the midwife assaulted me.

I've not had counciling, no.

[fgr]

I was covered simply because of a previous c section. My consultant sorted it out, worth a go xx

[Bonsoir]

My sister had two private CS births with Mr McCarthy at Queen Charlotte's. She thought I got much better pre and post natal care on the NHS in Pembury! And she thought the private accommodation was a bit lonely.

[ghislaine]

I am currently with AXA and they are "covering" my second c-section (no ante-natal care though, save one appointment). Each is for the same gynaecological condition, but I second fgr's suggestion - if your consultant can write a suitably worded and demanding persuasive letter saying why a c-section is medically required then you might be able to save some of the fees.

AFAIK, insurance companies don't have to cover regular pregnancy care, but it would be breach of sex discrimination laws to exclude childbirth entirely, so they comply by offering restricted cover for complications of childbirth and pregnancy. They tend not to advertise this though!