ELCS - NHS or Private

[PenguinsMummy]

I am 26 weeks pregnant with DD3 and have been medically advised to have ELCS this time as I have had two 3rd degree tears with DD1 and DD2.

I can get private healthcare through work and a colleague has advised me that because I have been told to have ELCS for medical reasons that I would be covered.

Is there any reason to go private for something like this or would I be better off sticking with NHS??

Does it mean that I would just get a room to myself which might be quite nice!

Any experiences you could share?

Personally, I'd go NHS. I really doubt that in an emergency a private hospital would have the facitlities for newborns.
I had exactly the same dilemma when I had DD. The private hospital was lovely, very clean and modern but it didn't have either adult nor child ITU. The hospital DD was delivered in had both. Luckily we didn't need to use either.
I have worked in private hospitals and when something does go wrong (rarely I should stress) the NHS has to pick up the slack.

Good point Kreecher - thanks.

DD1 was on NICU for a few days after her birth.

Although I think it would be at the same hospital anyway - just a different wing.

A good halfway house might be a private ward on an NHS hospital.

I would personally go private (but only in an NHS hospital) as I had a birth last year that could have been covered by private insurance but was told my then doctors that there wouldn't be any difference in my care... but I was not well taken care of and in hindsight would have appreciated a private room etc.

You may find that although you are covered for ELCS that there is a limit to the total amount of cover - this could leave you with a good few £K to make up the difference should the fees charged by the surgeon and aneathetists be more than the limit.

What Chynah said. I am in the same situation as you - medically required c-section, and have fantastic private cover through BUPA. But they only cover £600 towards a consultant, and most won't get out of bed for that much. I've yet to find one who charges under £1500, and most get booked up quite quickly.

Similar issue with anaesthetists, although I believe the cash discrepancy isn't so high.

Unfortunately BUPA at least does not cover the costs of a private (as in fully private - i.e. several hundred a night, not as in a separate room) room post NHS section as that would have been ideal.

hmmm - looking unlikely then.

If I could not get insurance to cover fully then not an option!

Private delivery in an NHS hospital with a private wing. I have had 2 NHS and one private and the difference is like night and day.

Does anyone know if BUPA cover the room costs post CS in a private hospital/wing?

breatheslowly - not unless the whole c-section was private I believe. They offer their standard £50/night. So C&W and St. Thomas's private wings ruled out.

So if the whole thing is private, they still only offer £50 per night? I think the private places cost over £1000 per night... Hmmm

I would always go NHS for any major surgery.

If you go to a private hospital, you will need also to check carefully what is covered for the new baby. If there are exclusions, the bill can mount up quickly.

But a private ward at an NHS hospital sounds like the best of both worlds. I wouldn't want to be on an NHS postnatal ward after a CS - they are just too busy to be able to give you the right level of assistance.

I've been on a (very busy) NHS ward after my CS and got all the assistance I needed, and was home 2 days later. I guess experiences can vary from hospital to hospital, though.

I had a VB but had nerve damage to one leg so was too wobbly to hold my baby and at risk of falling in the shower etc. I didn't get much help or understanding (I assume it is unusual so they really didn't think about it). I wouldn't want that level of care after surgery. I found it amiserable experience.

I was on NHS wards after both my CS and it was fine. It was a small ward though (6) and all the CSs were kept together.

So much depends on the NHS postnatal ward. I've had truly awful experiences with both my children (different London postnatal wards) but outside of London especially, they're sometimes not too bad. More resources, fewer patients etc. Less of a meat market.

Yes, all BUPA will give is £50/night towards any private rooms. On the plus side, I believe you can claim £50/night back from them if you spend it on an NHS ward when you'd have qualified for private treatment, which in the case of a medically required c-section you would.

A private ward on an NHS hospital is indeed the best of both worlds. Sadly the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's (BUPA cover this to the extent I mentioned earlier - barely any consultant cover but everything else is covered) but it's being refurbished so I'm not sure how good it is. I think maybe Queen Charlotte's private bit is covered though, could be wrong.

If you haven't got the private cover yet, then would you necessarily be covered anyway under insurance when you join? Is there a waiting period or an exclusion for pre-existing conditions? I would read the policy carefully before assuming you get any cover whatsoever.