Experience of QEQM or William Harvey Hospital

[rebecklet]

We live roughly the same distance to both and would really like to hear recent experiences at either to help us choose.

We've been told parking is easier at QEQM. Is this a problem at WH in Ashford?

I parked at WH recently (not to give birth but it was for a 24hr hospital stay) and parking was fine

WH has the midwife led unit which is lovely- I gave birth there a few years ago

I don’t know about QEQM sorry!

rebecklet I gave birth at the WH in 2015. Put it this way, I am pregnant again and I am booked to have a c section at pembury in Tunbridge wells. I'd like to say something positive about WH but I'm afraid it wasn't great - my womb ruptured and I needed two life saving blood transfusions. The birth was mismanaged from the start and my consultant this time said it is almost unheard of for the womb to rupture in a first birth without previous scarring so I feel it was due to the mismanagement. I've actually arranged to go back to WH in the next few weeks to discuss. I don't want to say this to scare you, as what happened is v rare, but equally I didn't rate the care and so want you to make an informed choice. On the plus side, I hear that the midwife led unit is lovely and have heard v positive feedback from friends that have been there.

Ps ironically the parking is far better at WH than Pembury!!

I had my son at WH. Started on the midwife led unit which was absolutely great. Really calm, incredible midwife, birthing pool was free so I did get in it. However things didn't progress so I was transferred up to the Labour ward ( literally 1 floor above the midwife unit). Then after a while there I went to theatre for assisted delivery. The care from all the midwives and doctors during labour and birth was incredible, I even had a lovely student midwife who really helped support me. The only thing that was slightly negative was how busy the maternity ward was after birth. They were short staffed and I didn't get any food, took forever to be discharged. But that could happen anywhere in an nhs hospital.
Parking was fine, you can get a weekly ticket for £12 so doesn't matter how long you are in labour for or if you need to stay a few days.

I had boringly straightforward births and was out less than 12 hours after admission for dcs 3 and 4. But as far as I could tell, QEQM was fine.

I haven’t any personal experience of WH, but people I know who used it have all been satisfied.

I’d probably think about traffic problems - which would be easier to get to in rush hour?

Had sections at both (emcs at whh, elcs at qeqm) and spent a lot of time at both.

Both have mlu as well as consultant units so no difference in care offered. I preferred qeqm but that might have been due to circumstances (DS birth was more stressful). Postnatally qeqm seemed better (staff had more time) but might just have been luck. Both postnatal wards were on a par.

I'd say it was easy to park in Ashford ( one giant car park). At Margate there is a car park on the st Peter's rd entrance which is right outside maternity ( which is great and better than ashford) but it fills up at busy times and is awkward. Traffic wise both are bad at rush hour but look if your journey takes you past Westwood cross as that can be bad at certain times.

Parking charges are the same at both.
I'm guessing you are either Canterbury or north\ south Kent coast. If Canterbury consider which side you are on, you don't want to to fight Canterbury traffic to get the hospital on the opposite side.

If I was going to have another baby (I'm not) and all else was equal I would chose qeqm but I have bad associations with whh which aren't the fault of the hospital. Can you visit both to see what you prefer?

Oh whh has a NICU, qeqm just a scbu which might need considering if you have a high risk pregnancy

I was at the William Harvey and found them brilliant.

Both mine were born at WH and care was great. Parking is not an issue these days.

I am 22 weeks high risk pregnancy and am in the process of switching from the WH to Pembury. WH have made continuous errors which have increased my risk levels and put me under crazy stress during this pregnancy all for nothing. It is only 20 mins from my house whereas Pembury is 45 however unless it is a desperate emergency I will not return to the WH. A real shame.

elljones - you sound in a spookily similar position to me - I'm 20 mins from WH and 45 from Pembury and also 22 weeks pregnant! Maybe we've just had bad luck with WH but if it's any reassurance, with my first, all my nct friends gave birth at Pembury and raved about it so fingers crossed this time!

Oh my goodness! Your story above is horrendous.

Wishing the lady who asked this question all the very best with your decision.