To keep my GP surgery (even though far away)?

[HackneyP]

I used to live in south London and had an excellent GP surgery- could do loads online, always got quick appointments- I luckily never needed to use them much but when I did they were fantastic. This was over the course of about 5 years. I moved back to the opposite side of London and couldn't get registered at a GP except for one I had previously used which was usually two weeks for appointments etc. I called my "old" GP in south London and gave them my new address and thy said I could stay with them for the time being but if they got too busy they would have to ask me to register elsewhere.

I am now expecting a baby and about 5 weeks and need to make a midwife appointment. I tried to register at the new GP and already their recorded voice message put me off: "each appointment is 12 minutes" etc etc. My question is if my old GP is happy to keep me for now WIBU to stay with them and travel for midwife appointments? (About an hour.) how many midwife appointments does someone have during a pregnancy? Sorry I'm clueless.

I really wouldn't travel for midwife appointments, I think you would regret it at the end (every two weeks at the end, or even more frequent if having sweeps etc) plus you don't want to have to travel with a newborn. You might be able to be seen at the hospital for midwife appointments but you would still have to travel when you needed to see the GP (probably more frequently when pregnant/newborn).

Firstly, congratulations! [flowrers]

YANBU to stick to the doctor(s) you already have a good relationship with, but when you're sick and heavily expectant with child you might not feel inclined to endure a long journey to see your GP. Plus your options for birthing should ideally be local to you, for obvious reasons.

My suggestion is you find a good GP practice near you, post haste. Get local advice if you need to, and look at reviews on NHS Choices.

Good luck!

I would stick with your current surgery. Most GP surgeries, especially in London, are terrible.

In my region the MW and HVs are connected to the GP Surgery and make people change Doctors once they need those Services.

So you may not get the option to stay at the Practice.

At the end of your Pregnancy, it may be that you need a sweep done at home, as well as other reasons, so they want you living close to the Surgery.

Having been heavily pregnant and having needed to get my twins to the doctors urgently on occasion, I absolutely wouldn't want to be at a practice so far away - during pregnancy I had awful migraines, sickness, SPD... no way I could have managed an hour's trek across London, and even less so post c section with my twins. I'd find something closer. 12 mins is pretty good these days to be fair!

Your existing surgery probably won't keep you on for maternity care for various reasons, one of which is the new baby at the end of pregnancy! Are you planning on choosing a hospital near to your new home or the surgery? If it's near to home the wise choice then the midwives will be from another trust and so you might find yourself having to go to the hospital for all of your care. That's often a pain due to longer waits and a less personal service.

In your position I'd bite the bullet and ask around for the best local practice and register there. When your new baby is born you will want the reassurance of a local gp.

As a midwife for many years in AN, some people did what you propose but often weren't particularly happy with their experience.

I think you need something more local - sorry. I had a midwife appt every single day during my pg - admittedly high risk and lots of issues BUT even without that it only take you feeling sick and can't face tube etc to get to other side of London. Also midwives tend to work with local hospitals to let them know who is die when etc so I think you need to bite the bullet and sign up with new ones.