Best maternity hospital and delivery hospital? NHS

[duckduckmouse]

Can anyone advise me on their opinions on the best maternity hospitals please in the UK?
I've had some very unpleasant experiences of private hospitals and private care and feel that it's not properly policed. I only want to hear about NHS hospitals unless someone has a comparison of the NHS vs private which I'm also really interested in please?

It would be for a c section and ideally a hospital with a good urology department too.

Thank you

Totally depends where you live. Where are you?

I'm in Kent, don't mind travelling for the whole pregnancy to be managed elsewhere.
I had my son in Margate and found it a dreadful experience from beginning to end.

NHS hospitals are rated now and it is usually broken down by department, so will have a rating specifically for maternity services :)

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/maternity-care-ratings-nhs-england_uk_58130427e4b04660a4389c24

These are mainly based on statistics and safety ratings though, rather than personal experience. If you Google each hospital you are considering, you should be able to find (especially on the NHS websites) personal reviews. "Which?" also do a fairly comprehensive list of the facilities etc available of each labour ward, as well as statistics such as C section rate.

As a PP said it does vary so much depending on which hospital though!

FWIW I share your anxiety, I am due in a few weeks and my hospital does not have a good reputation for it's maternity care, it was actually notorious for a string o baby deaths :( just have a look around, get some tours booked and go somewhere you are comfortable, it's really important.

Have you considered any midwife led units or anything?

Thank you Cherries.

I didn't know about the NHS rating on Huffington, I'll have a look at the article this evening.

I can't have a MLU birth or don't want to either as I had a c section with a GA when I had my son. I felt completely abandoned.
I'm not pregnant yet but hoping to be just in the new year.

Where have you decided or did you just use the local one and now realise you are anxious about it?

If you're willing to travel, I'd recommend The Whittington Hospital. I had both DC's there and due to have my 3rd there too. They were nothing short of amazing. X

Thank you Side I'll look into it 😘

I really liked Torbay hospital when I went there for a checkup when I was poorly and pregnant but that is so far away...

I've just watched their video, it looks great.
Seems they have a lot less babies being delivered there then they do here in Margate..

I had all 3 of mine at the queen elizabeth hospital in Gateshead and cannot recommend them highly enough - one complicated delivery, one straight forward and one induction where they went off the usual protocol to enable me to have what I wanted and thus a completely straight forward birth number 3 too.

It's a hell of a way to travel from Kent though

I had my daughter in Margate, not with MLU so just urm, the main bit? I dunno? It was as nice as a birth can be I suppose! No complaints. That was last year and will be having another there early next year

Got to say Southampton. They have women flown in from world over to have babies there. Very specialist

The Chelsea and Westminster is pretty amazing but you have to be referred by a local GP, and the local GP will want to see proof of residence to take you onto their patient list

We live about 2 miles away so it was our automatic hospital but friends who live about 4 miles away from it weren't allowed to be referred there, so for the cost of living in a local address just for the ability for a referral, you'd probably be better off going private

Princess Anne Hospital

I had 2 dd in City Hospital in Birmingham, not the Women's (big hospital in the centre that everyone goes to) and everyone asked me "why are you going there?". They were fantastic and I felt well cared for after unlike all the experiences I hear of the other hospital. I used Which? website initially as they show all local hospitals, MLUs, home birth teams and figures, outcomes etc to compare. Really useful. Some maternity hospitals have a 'catchment' area though so bare that in mind when looking. If you already have one dc is travelling when in labour going to be practical?

Sorry to those of you who have had bad experiences

If you can afford it please consider getting a doula. I know people who have used them and said they were brilliant (including someone who ended up having a c section). I didn't have one myself but wish I had - I will definitely get one if I have another baby.

I don't think there is any hospital with a 100% track record of excellent maternity care, and I think a doula is the best way of ensuring you will get the best possible care, as they will support and advocate for you every step of the way.

I can second the Whittington but I had DC in the MLU rather than the labour ward, which I didn't like the look of at all. But I think it's been considerably refurbished since.

Was it recent duckduck? I had DD2 in the MLU in Margate last year and thought it was pretty good. A far better experience than DD1 at St Thomas in London.

But - I do think a lot depends on the delivery DD2 was very straightforward so would probably have been fairly easy anywhere, DD1 not quite so much!

A friend recently had a good s-section experience at William Harvey, not too far from you.

I self referred to CW. Unless policy has recently changed you should be able to. Friend also self referred 6 months ago. We both gave birth there -myself labour ward, friend MLU. Excellent care, potential to pay for private room for post natal recovery.

www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/maternity-obstetrics/antenatal-self-referral-form

I think quite a few London hospitals do have catchments (I know St Thomas did at least) so you couldn't just pick to go there.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Have a look at Medway, the maternity ward has come on heaps so much so they have just won an award, I had my baby there, it ended up being a complicated delivery and my son became ill and ended up on scbu. The staff at Medway were fantastic and I couldn't be more grateful for the care we received

Just to add I ended up having an emergency c section

Frimley Park is very good and potentially driveable from Kent, unless you have a very quick labour.

If you are willing to pay privately, the Lindo wing is part of st marys hospital and is fantastic. It means you have access to the main nhs hospital in the case of emergency, including neo natal but you are also guaranteed to have consultant with you throughout the birth.

Another vote for the Whittington from me.

Whittington looks really good.

I did have a baby in Margate last year yes and I didn't like my care at all. I had a lot of complications with a nephrostomy and a poor experience in general with urology in canterbury etc.

I had a private midwife last pregnancy but only right at the end and she was amazing. I sadly met her the day my son was born. When she was with me I was not aware I would have a c section that night, she went back to get paperwork and by the time she returned at 1am my son had been born.

I will have her for the whole pregnancy this time!