Help! Choosing a private hospital in London for 1st birth?

[LoveLondon2012]

Hello, I am an American expat, new to London, and my husband and I are looking to have a baby while we are here for the next couple of years. We are very confused about the process here an NHS/Private. We are considering getting Bupa International coverage and having the baby privately rather than through NHS. Are there any downsides to this? How does one choose a hospital? I have looked into Portland but do not know the alternatives. What is the difference in a private hospital like Portland or having private insurance and going to an NHS hospital? I live near Bupa Cromwell but don't even know if they deliver. How close do you need to be to your hospital? Thank you for any help!

Thomasbodley are you insinuating I represent the Portland in some way? I don't. I've had 3 children there and I chose it very carefully. And I don't live in Cambridge, I was a transfer from Addenbrookes.

btw, anyone thinking the CQC is some sort of badge of reasonable standards is going to be sadly disappointed. They are the organisation that refused to investigate Winterbourne View, the horrific home where staff were taunting and abusing people with learning disabilities. AND then when they finally inspected claimed it was great! Until Panorama filmed what was really going on. CQC reports might be mildly diverting but don't use them as a guarantee that a hospital is in any way safe.

Well, that's interesting. Since I last contributed to the thread, someone's deleted my original post.

How cowardly. Why not sue me for slander instead?

Mumsnet could be sued by the Portland for libel in respect of what you wrote. That is why they have deleted it.

I am a bit surprised that was deleted tbh. It's very much "out there" if you Google

I am aware that the truth is a full defence to defamation but you can't expect mumsnet to go and check all the facts. Plus, you stated yourself that you know details above and beyond those that exist in the public domain as it was an OOC settlement. Mumsnet is just going to delete anything that has defamatory overtones as a matter of policy.

Sorry, I'm not trying to wind you up, and it breaks my heart to hear about Laura, but all websites operate like this as a result of the legal advice they are given.

I would just like to add that further to a post above, private hospitals are not required to analyse or publish data on outcomes in the same way the NHS is. Therefore it's not possible to make a fair comparison between NHS and private hospitals in terms of complication rates. For that reason I personally would be wary of choosing to give birth in a private hospital - because I would not feel able to quantify the risks of doing so, whereas outcomes are rigorously monitored in the NHS.

Of course, it is a personal choice and every woman should weigh up the factors important to her when making that choice, but it's important to know that what you are paying for when you choose private maternity care is a nicer environment, more choice, but not better clinical outcomes.

thomasbodley, what on earth do you mean by commenting on the use of the word 'insinuating'? It simply means to suggest something, most probably something unpleasant. Edam's original post fits clearly within that description. All that pussyfooting around with "google this" and "do they have a SCBU?." Why not just state facts rather than start a whisper campaign?

Why not simply come out and say "(X no) of women have died at the Portland", like I did? I'm perfectly ok with acknowledging that fact and the fact that I had my baby there in the same breath. It's all in the public domain, although I'd say it unwise to make inferences on the internet about individual confidential legal settlements or the attendant processes.

I think people who have babies at the Portland get annoyed when the Portland-bashing starts because there are untruths floating around, old cases are treated as if they happened yesterday (that's not to diminish their tragedy but it does undermine their relevance to the present day), and it rarely happens when people discuss homebirths or NHS hospitals that currently have high maternal death rates.

It is unwise.

ps London, John and Lizzie's, the hospital mentioned by Billy, closed its maternity unit some time ago.

No, my original post was an attempt a. not to get MN sued and b. not to freak out an expectant mother but c. to suggest she might want to do some looking around. Maybe not the most effective but hey, I was short of time and I'm not on here doing health policy, I'm just having a natter like everyone else.

It is not 'Portland bashing' to say there have been maternal deaths where the standard of care was found to be woefully lacking. That is a fact. And they did treat Laura Touche's family extremely badly - look up the facts of the case. Information had to be dragged out of the Portland, who also had the cheek to present her husband with a fat bill. At least if the NHS fucks up they don't bill you for the privilege.

So is your problem with the Portland that they had a maternal death there 10 years ago and Peter touche went on record thanking them for their open and honest communication? or that before fully admitting liability the Portland's finance department continued with their billing?

Before getting your pants in a twist about the portland have a read about what our tax pays for - the NHS does indeed charge for its mistakes! Try googling Queens Hospital Romford, for a start.

I think the Portland has been blackballed by the London upper middle classes ever since the two maternal death litigations, and nothing is going to retrieve its reputation as far as they're concerned.

It seems to have accepted that - I worked in Argosy House, the building that the Portland Hospital has expanded into, for seven years and during that time it was quite remarkable to see the change in patients. I'd estimate 2/3 are now Middle Eastern and European, but back in the early Noughties they were almost exclusively English.

The main thing I would find off-putting is the one-way traffic system around the hospital, and the fact that sitting in an ambulance in the Marylebone-Euston-underpass traffic is going to kill you even if your medical complications don't.

I know quite a few people who chose the Portland (and were very happy and had good natural deliveries actually). Probably an equivalent number of us going private chose the private wing of an NHS hospital.

Hi I wonder if someone could help me with a question. This is our first baby and I am 44!!
The reason we waited this long is really due to my husband having had a disabled sister due to a delivery that went wrong when she was born. This could have been avoided.
So for this reason we are considering a private hospital. This is a bit pricy so we need some help to decide on which hospital in North London would be best for a private delivery. Could someone please let me know the best private hospital in North London to go to and also the one which is most cost effective?
Many thanks

You could look into the Portland (fully private) or a private wing of an NHS hospital - Lindo Wing or Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea, or Kensington Wing of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Their websites have the prices for the hospital packages but consultant fees are separate so you'll have to contact the consultants directly.

Thank you!

Hi there, I am an excited new mum to be (16 weeks pregnant) looking at the private maternity options in London (first child so quite anxious!). So far we like Chelsea and Westminster (did not have a good experience at the Portland with our 6 week scan) so want to go with this. I wanted to check if anyone has recommendations on consultants who will opt for delivery of the baby on a private basis only without providing the ante-natal care or with reduced ante-natal care (I would do the ante-natal care on the NHS and scans privately at Fetal Medicine Clinic)? Most consultants I have contacted have a set charge for the entire duration of ante-natal, delivery and post-natal care only of a set fee of £8000. I am trying to reduce costs as I estimate that the hospital costs and delivery will be around £8-£9 alone should I have a caesarian. Any advice is most appreciated!

Just wanted to add my thoughts....I had an amazing NHS birth with my first baby at St Mary's in Paddington but a horrific second birth in another private London birthing wing (not the Lindo Wing). It was nothing the hospital did or did not do - simply very bad luck as my daughter has shoulder distocia which left me totally traumatised. Post birth midwife care at home from my local health centre was shocking too.

I'm having my third baby at Chelsea and Westminster (NHS) and I honestly could not praise them more highly. Midwives have been amazing as have the sonographers. We had a scan last week which found problems with the baby's lungs and we were seen next day by one of the top fetal medicine specialists in the country. My midwife team will also visit me at home after the birth and they have been wonderful throughout. I really couldn't be happier with our NHS care.

Just another point of view from somebody who has seen it from both the private and NHS sides. Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck with whatever you decide to do!

I had my my DD on the London Wing at St Mary's hospital. Fantastic experience from start to finish.