Barnet Hospital (again)!! Would you risk it?

[MammyT]

Hi,
I gave birth in Barnet hospital and found the birth experience really positive - great midwives, natural delivery etc. But the aftercare wasn't good in any respect - not enough staff, no-one in charge, my baby never say a paediatrician even though not interested in feeding, disinterested staff etc.

I am now 12 wks pregnant and am due to go back to Barnet because it's the only hospital near us and I had a good birth experience before. I watched the recent Panorama documentary in shock but wasn't very surprised. But I've just seen that they've been fined for lapses in MRSA policies.. It just seems to get worse and worse.

I also haven't received any information about a dating scan despite being 12 weeks.

Is anyone else lined up to go here at the moment? Are they nervous given the publicity? Were there big delays in their scans?

I gave birth at Chase Farm two years ago with my first and it was not good at all. I don't want to scare you but the hygiene at Barnet and Chase Farm is atrocious. You probably know that they are the only NHS trust to have been given a hygiene warning and have a month to clean up their act. This was going on even when I had my son there but it didn't seem to matter. They are so understaffed its untrue. I don't know if you have any other options but a few people have recommended the ROyal Free in Hampstead so you could ask to be referred there. I'm expecting no.2 now but b'cos I ended up with a CS and have to have another, my private healthcare covers me thank god! Both my husband and I were so disgusted by CF that he refused to let me go back there and would have borrowed the money to send me private if my private care wouldn't have covered me. I don't want to scare you b'cos I know lots of people don't have the option but if you could try the Royal Free you might be better off.

Jo,
Don't worry, I'm already scared so nothing you would say would make it worse

Two of my friends had terrible ante-natal care at the Royal Free and they've just been hauled up over two babies deaths during birth, so I'm reluctant to go there.

Private is an option but the only near place is St John's and St Elizabeth's, is it? Where are you planning on going for your CS?

Thanks for the reply..

Jo,
Don't worry, I'm already scared so nothing you would say would make it worse

Two of my friends had terrible ante-natal care at the Royal Free and they've just been hauled up over two babies deaths during birth, so I'm reluctant to go there.

Private is an option but the only near place is St John's and St Elizabeth's, is it? Where are you planning on going for your CS?

Thanks for the reply..

MammyT, just to give a differing opinion, I have a friend who gave birth at Barnet in January (was 5 weeks premature so needed quite a lot of aftercare) and she couldn't praise them enough, she said she didn't see any of the attitudes shown in the Panorama doc.

I had DS at Chase Farm in February and, although it's obviously struggling a bit with resources (like all NHS hospitals I imagine), I had a very positive experience despite difficult labour. But I was on the Ridgeway Birth Centre, led by midwives who were all brilliant. I have heard worse things about the labour ward, I was transferred there for epidural and ventouse but back to the Ridgeway afterwards so cant really comment on their aftercare.

Re: MRSA, yes they do have high rates but AFAIK the maternity units are not as affected as they are kept separate from the wards where operations are done.

Meg,
Thanks for you comments, especially about MRSA. I hadn't thought about it like that.
Like you, I was in the MLU and as I said, the birth experience was great. It was the after-care that wasn't so good. I was struggling with feeding and got really poor assistance.

I have decided to stay at Barnet and hopefully I will have a similar labour/birth. I will then arrange to discharge myself as soon as possible and am considering getting a lactation consultant to visit me at home.

Thanks to all for their comments..