private room on NHS

[giodi]

I am looking at options to give birth (considering UCLH in London) but I would like to have my own room after the birth. I am willing to pay a price for it but not willing to pay 10k just for the room. Do you know what my best options are? Is there a way to get a room in a hospital outside of the private wing? thanks

I just had a baby 3 months ago in London, the cost for a private room was about £150 per night.

I was in hospital for four nights when I had my son and partner was allowed to stay the entire time. He had a choice of sleeping on the floor next to my bed or scrunched up in the crappy hospital chairs - suffice to say he went home and brought back pillows and a quilt but the staff didn't mind him being there at all.
Double check at your hospital as your partner may be allowed to stay too!

Both hospitals I've been in have had private rooms you paid for and allowed partners to stay.

We asked for a private room, the bill has never come through (9 weeks now so hopefully we won’t get one??? Does anyone know how often they invoice?) I’m wondering if it’s because we had a very long and traumatic birth?

East Surrey was £100 a night, was worth the money for that but next time I'll go completely private as the post natal care was awful.

Royal London have private rooms for about £150 a night and allow dads overnight - look around

Also I would love to have visits all day other than just visiting hours. It just seems insane to be having to pay 8-10k to have such small privileges

Small privilege?

Imagine if everyone wanted and got everyone and anyone visiting round the clock

How would the hospital cope with that?

Considering how short a time you are in hospital even after a section you can entertain guests all day when you go home.

All depends where in London you are but I know Kingston hospital has only private rooms. I gave birth at Chelsea & Westminster and was given a private room - if you use the birth centre there you get your own room. Chelsea do a hospital tour which explains about rooms, costs, availability (among other things) so maybe UCH do something similar?

Maybe a home birth would suit you better? I’m sure this sort of thing is possible but hospitals are unpredictable and what would happen if you had to leave your room despite paying for it for an urgent case?

Re men staying overnight, you’ll need to check. I would have went nuts if our hospital allowed random strange men wandering around when I was bleeding and sore... vulnerable. Our hospital doesn’t allow it thankfully.

Chelsea and Westminster have private rooms for £200 on the NHS Ward but they are first come, first serve so there is no way of guaranteeing one in advance

They are £800 a night on the Private ward but I don’t think you can transfer there postnatally

Our hospital has private rooms on the regular postnatal ward from £180-450. I had one night in the high dependency room, so that was free and one night in the £450 room.

(The £450 one is the only one you can book in advance, otherwise no guarantee of a room)

Barnet is much cheaper ) about £100) for a private room but I still opted for another hospital as I wasn’t that impressed with the care.

Yes, just ring and ask. It would depend on the hospital. Our local hospital does have a private room available. It's 150 a night. It has a normal king sized bed, your husband can sleep over, I think it even has a mini fridge. It's only bookable in advance for planned c-sections though, otherwise luck of the draw.

That said, I had to be in hospital for 5 days and I had a private room the whole time and my husband slept over. I had a home birth, but my dd had to be transferred in to hospital a few days later do to significant weight loss due to feeding issues. It could be because we were considered a more urgent case, like we were there for actual medical reasons not because we'd just been in hospital for her birth. But we had a private NHS room (not paid for) with two beds, so my husband could sleep over. He wasn't supposed to in theory, but the midwives basically said as long as he stayed out of sight and in the room during the night, they would pretend they didn't see. But we don't live in London and I imagine that makes a big difference.

Otherwise, frankly, I would just discharge yourself quickly and go home as soon as all is well. I think you can leave within 6 hours if they can get the discharge forms together.

St. George's in London have private rooms for about £150 a night. They allow partners on the ward 24/7 as well.

There were about 10 amenity rooms in my hospital that were £180 a night. They were first come first serve and on one of the nights I overheard two dads getting into an argument about who should have the last one. Not sure what happened in the end as they both basically asked at the same time. So the message there is even if they are available and you’re desperate there is no guarantee you’ll get one. I was so glad I had one though. I was an emotional wreck as it was as my baby wasn’t feeding and I’d had a difficult birth so the thought of sharing with others on the ward would have tipped me over the edge.