Wexham Park or Royal Berkshire Reading hospital?

[Snafu33]

Hi,
I need to pick my hospital ASAP. I can choose between these two and having recently been to Wexham pre pregnancy wasn't particularly impressed with it. Staff lovely but parking (atrocious) and building (just didn't feel clean) not so much.
Can anyone offer any advice? If Wexham has a fantastic reputation over Reading then I will cope with a few parking tickets!
Thanks

[lj123]

I have heard Wrexham aren't great, I've had a few people have babies at royal jerks and they felt very well looked after.

[TheSlug]

I gave birth in Wexham park and it was excellent. I started off in birth centre but had to go down to labour ward (for literally 30 mins) was really well looked after, was able to come back up to birth centre afterwards, felt like the midwives genuinely cared about me and my family and really can't fault it.

[pinkpeoniesplease]

Parking is horrendous at RBH and not sure if you're familiar with the area but it's right on a one way road so do a few trial runs if you choose there as its worth knowing the surrounding roads.
I have no personal experience but from friends experiences the consensus seems to be good care in labour/delivery, not at all good after care once on the ward.
Most friends and colleagues avoid there to be honest, myself included. Both for its reputation and it's difficult to get to in rush hour.

[hazeyjane]

I had horrendous aftercare at Wexham, and made complaints against them, but this was 7 years ago so hopefully things have changed. The birth centre to be fair was great, but the labour ward and postnatal ward not so good.

[dannydyerismydad]

RBH has a new midwife led unit that is fabulous. Delivery suite is good too. Postnatal ward is hotter than the sun.

Parking at RBH is dreadful, but there's a ramp that your partner can park on of you arrive in labour. I believe parking charges are waived for families in labour too (although that might have changed when the new parking machines came in).

I have no experience with Wexham's maternity unit, but other wards there are dire, and I believe they are in CQC special measures.

[Duckstar]

Royal Berkshire Hospital. I moved halfway through my first pregnancy to Berkshire. I had one obstetrician appointment at Wexham Party had immediately requested to be transferred to Wexham Park - I was appalled at the way I was spoken to, lost tests etc.

I had a difficult labour and the care I recieved at RBH was outstanding. I am now expecting DC2 and will be back at RBH, again can't fault how well have been treated.

From other friends experiences, I have heard a lot of complaints about Wexham Park - none about RBH. In fairness, the complaints tend to be where they didn't have straightforward births. Those who were under midwife care tend to be more complimentary.

[dannydyerismydad]

RBH has good breastfeeding support too. If you put on your birth plan that you don't wish to be discharged until you are happy that breastfeeding is established, they will arrange for BfN ladies to spend plenty of time with you.

[Snafu33]

Thank you so much for all your views. Regarding parking at RBH do they not have a multi storey? I saw this on the web page and thought that would be ideal after searching for over an hour at Wexham! As I say though the care is absolutely my priority and if it comes to paying parking fines then so be it!

[Duckstar]

RBH do have a multi-storey car park, but it gets full up quickly in the daytime. You do however get free parking when you are in labour. There is also a car park at the front of the hospital.The advantage of RBH is that because it's in the town there is more on-street parking and also other multi-storeys relatively close by.

[VelvetStrider]

Kate Winslet was born at the Royal Berkshire if that influences your decision at all!! Although it's probably changed a bit since 1975!

[Alljan]

Having given birth at the RBH last week I can high recommend the quality of the care that we received there. I had a difficult time of it with an induction then emergency cs after baby changed position and the care during labour and especially afterwards was fantastic. You have your own midwife the whole time on delivery suite (at Wexham I was told it is 1 midwife for 2 women) which for me meant for the 36 hours after birth too as I wasn't well enough to transfer to the ward. Yes parking isn't amazing (it is free if you are in labour) but small fuss for great care.

[MummyPig24]

I gave birth at RBH almost 4 years ago and didn't have a great experience. My birth was luckily straightforward but it could have been different. I didn't get any care at all and the whole time I was there from start to finish was a catalogue of errors. Of course things could be different now but I have opted for somewhere different for my 3rd baby.

[Rachie1986]

I used birth centre at Wexham 6 weeks ago. Birth was fine midwife amazing and birth centre is lovely. Nice small postnatal ward for birth centre too.

Only comment would be that midwives were very busy so weren't always very available for ladies on postnatal ward - their priority was those in labour as it should be. Think this is prob case everywhere though?
Parking awful

[rainraingoAWAYNEVERCOMEBACK]

wexham has been put in special measures.

Its a dire and life threatening place and I think its a disgrace after all the horror stories I have heard coming out of there that its taken this long, this includes ladies left alone to give birth, at least 6 women with retained placenta and subsequent heomarage, cannula left in once discharged, wrong drugs being pumped into them, left and forgotten about on nil by mouth....a horror story. we were shown round birthing sweet, things broken, gloomy and horrid.

I appreciate some people have good experiences there but I have heard the most horrid tales coming out, its terryfying.

I have had two babies at RBH, I have found care to be excellent, I got only one bad MW on ward after amongst many excellent ones....it seemed much cleaner but still not 100% and it just seems better. Having said that, its a very busy place and is under pressure. It does not have a spotless reputation either.... They also close their doors quite frequently.

I have had to get to wexham in rush hour and thats a nightmare too getting through slough back roads or main road.

Reading I have not a problem with and both time and during all my visits I never had a problem parking.

Without a doubt I would choose Reading, however bear in mind its not perfect either. But I have certainly heard less horror stories than Wexham.