Hospital choice- Royal London or St Thomas?

[maybemum2]

I am trying to choose between these 2 hospitals- I would be grateful if anyone could share their experience at either.
I have been trying to compare the hospitals in terms of likelihood of interventions, complications, control over the birth process, midwives per person etc.
I don't care now nice the building is.

thanks :)

It's going to be really tricky to compare via individual stories. Have you checked the CQC? Been on visits? There's a patient group for the Royal London TH Healthwatch. Where do you live?

FWIW I had one DC at the Barkantine Centre (freestanding MLU) which was brilliant, and the other at the Lotus Centre in the Royal London, which was fine/good (big baby so I wasn't allowed to labour in a freestanding unit second time around).

Thanks. I live in Tower Hamlets so Royal London is closer to my home but for appointments St. Thomas is convenient as closer to work, and not too far away for the big day. I've looked at the CQC and St. Thomas seems to do better but I have heard Royal London has improved a lot recently so maybe older ratings are dragging it down.
I haven't been on visits yet. I might go to Royal London soon, but I don't think St. Thomas does visits. (at least, not according to Which?)
Thanks again.

Yes I'd agree that RL has improved a lot. It's well worth visiting to get a feel for what it's like. Have you visited the Barkantine? Also, TH now has a home birth team if that's of interest. I think the later antenatal visits are done at your home if you're having a HB.

I hated the taxi ride in full on labour so I'd always opt for a closer place if possible!

The Royal London now has one of the highest rated maternity units in London according to the CQC. www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/new_reports/AAAJ1389.pdf The Barkantine and Lotus birth centres are amazing, and they've got a great new homebirth team too

I had all of my 3DC at RLH 2 emergency c sections and 1 planned very happy with the care I received

I had my son at st Thomas’s. I only have one so I don’t have much to compare to but I think they were pretty good. The midwife appointments were a bit hit and miss. It really depends who you get and unfortunately you never get the same one twice! However, every appointment I had at the hospital was excellent. The scans ran on time and the pre natal ward was fantastic, I was admitted twice and both times I felt extremely well cared for.

They very pro natural birth.The default position is that you go into the midwife led bit. This is fine if that’s what you want. However, I was pretty adamant I wanted an epidural and as an anxious first time mum I wanted to be in the labour ward. In the end I had no time for an epidural but I was a bit annoyed that I couldn’t specifically state my wishes. They also have a blanket ban on elective sections.

I had to have an episiotomy as my babies heart rate was dropping and their was poo in my waters. However, most of my friends that gave birth there had no interventions. This wasn’t always good as some really could have done with some help at least with pain relief. I know a couple of girls that were left to labour for several days and really should have been offered sections sooner than they were.

Post natal care was again a bit hit and miss. However, one of the midwives ( a make one) was literally my guardian angel. I was really struggling with the baby blues for the first few weeks and he was unbelievable. He made extra appointments to come and see me and didn’t sign me off till I was well. I was a totally anxiety case but he helped me and reassured me at every step. For this reason alone I would probably choose st Thomas’s again (though chances of getting him second time around wroukd be minimal!)

I gave birth at Royal London. The Lotus Birth Centre is fantastic and I had a lovely calm labour with wonderful midwives. Sadly, the postnatal ward is the opposite experience - absolutely awful place.