Alternatives to heartlands hospital?

[GreenGoth89]

My friend lives in East birmingham and has been told that if she wants to give birth in a birth unit within a hospital she has no choice but heartlands - where many of my friends have had traumatic births as a result of the staff being over stretched, and their stats aren't great. She would rather the QE or the women's, even City but not heartlands! She can't have a home birth but she's not high risk either.

Thanks!

Why can't she choose The Women's? She hasn't got to givw birth at Heartlands - at least that was the case when I last gave birth in 2012.

Alternatively, there's Good Hope and the Alexandra in Redditch. Solihull Hospital is an MLU only ... but I wouldn't recommend it there (understaffed also - run by the same Trust).

*same NHS Foundation Trust as Heartlands.

Why can't she go to the Women's (which is on the QE site)? Has anyone actually said that is not an option? Women go there from alll across the city and beyond. Travelling from the other side of the city in labour if it is rush hour time could be an issue. I had 2 babies there. Started off in the MLU for both but transferred to labour ward for DD1's birth. It is my nearest maternity unit though.

Can't she just choose whichever she likes?

Ive been to city twice BTW and was very happy there. tried out every labour option and room too

She just been told she's not in the catchment area for city or the women's (which would be her first choice) so she's got to go to heartlands...I think she might ask to speak to the consultant because this was what she was told by her midwife, who she's really not happy with. She has been diagnosed with chronic pain syndrome for the past few years so she feels that the women's would be the best for her because they're the experts!

Certainly people I have chatted to at the Women's (both after giving birth to DD and at the back pain clinic this pregnancy) have chosen to use the Women's rather than City or the Alex. In fact, I know someone who gave birth at the Women's despite living in Nottingham but that was a more complicated situation. I thought you could choose.

If she's not high risk she can have a homebirth. Ask to speak with a supervisor of midwives about this.

Her partner is really worried about the prospect of a home birth but I might get her to call the women's because her midwife is being very unco-operative and won't let her talk to the consultant because there's "no clinical need"...ARGH! It's driving me mad let alone how it's making her feel!!

You can request any hospital you like in the country for other medical procedures just by getting your GP to refer you. My DH recently had surgry in London despite living far away. It might be worth your friend checking whether this applies to childbirth too.