Private or NHS?

[buntybanana]

I wonder if anyone has any recent experiences of going private (especially at the Lindo Wing)?

We're considering going private for a variety of reasons & want to make the decision early (currently TTC). I know that NHS emergency care is always the best quality, but since Covid and the recent state of the NHS I've become concerned. I have two friends that are midwives at the NHS hospital I would be at if we decided not to go private. They've shared harrowing experiences with me and confided that it's becoming dangerous for patients because they're so overworked, tired & understaffed. There have been several extremely worrying situations regarding women and their babies health. Additionally, I know I want an epidural and apparently it's just luck of the draw at this point and there might not be anyone available to provide this.

I'm late 20s with no health problems & currently it wouldn't be impossible for us financially to go private, but it wouldn't be easy. This might change as my husband's company are currently sorting out private health insurance for both is us, but not sure what it would cover. I wonder if anyone could share any recent experiences with me?

These responses are all extremely helpful - thank you very much. It seems quite rare to come across someone that went private and regretted it.

I didn't realise it was possible to transfer care to private later on the in the pregnancy - this is definitely something I'll be looking into to save money.

@SW1amp

I’ve done both One on the NHS at Chelsea and Westminster and the other at the Kensington wing at c&w

Firstly ignore nonsense from posters like @Ozanj
If you’re booked as a private patient but have complications, you can be seen as a private patient or transfer back to the NHS. It’s the same consultants in the same building, but the private ward is obviously nicer surroundings

In the event of anything being wrong with your baby, you’ve got the same access to NICU etc
In fact, at C&W, the private wing is closer to NICU than the NHS maternity ward…

You should set aside £20-25k to cover everything, but you probably can do ‘shared care’ and get the booking bloods and scans done on the NHS if you want to save a bit of money

Midwife-led is a bit cheaper than consultant led by a couple of grand but it’s nice to see the same consultant throughout, and they guarantee they’ll do your delivery also

It’s not nonsense. What do you think an NHS transfer involves in a private only hospital? My cousin was blue lighted to a NHS hospital from well known private hospital and her babies were blue lighted 50 miles away because neither hospital had an NICU. At least if you plan for and arrange an NHS hospital in advance you can plan for all these things and pick one with an NICU.

@buntybanana but fyi as the bulk of the money is for the delivery changing at a later date generally doesn't save you that much money (maybe £2k) but if there are complications which involve lots of check ups and stays in hospital (e.g. pre-eclampsia) it can save you a lot. However, if you do develop these issues you can transfer back to NHS - but you can't then deliver privately

Insurance is highly unlikely to cover maternity care.

If you do go private go with a private wing in a NHS hospital with a NICU in case of complications. The Lindo fits the bill.

It’ll cost around 20k for fully lead consultant care but budget more just in case. Some book up early, some will do delivery only packages, depends who you want really. Midwife lead can also be an option.

I had mine both of mine privately at C&W - it was great care, restful post natal stay and I wouldn’t do it any other way!

@Ozanj i think the only private hospital in London without an attached NHS NICU is Portland. I wouldn't recommend Portland for that exact reason. even then they blue light to UCH which is literally down the road.

Lindo is attached to St Marys
Queen Charlotte is attached to Hammersmith
St Thomas is attached to St Guys and St Thomas
UCH also has a private NICU

Those are are the four I would recommend as they all have excellent NICUs attached - one of the main reasons I am going private is that the local hospitals NICUs aren't great and the QC has one of the best in the world.

(I am unsure about Kensington or Kings as they were too far for me to look at and I can't speak for anywhere outside of London).

If the baby got blue lighted to somewhere 50 miles away then surely that would have been the same if they were private or NHS. If it's a private hospital then it is probably london so 50 miles would be a long way to go for any specialist care. But it may have been somewhere not in london

*UCH has an nhs nicu

@Bells3032 Definitely something to consider.

Agreed- the attached NHS NICU is a must for me, just in case anything goes wrong.

Thanks everyone for the estimated budget - this is good to know as it's more than the brochures and I would like to be totally prepared for extra costs.

[quote Bells3032]@Ozanj i think the only private hospital in London without an attached NHS NICU is Portland. I wouldn't recommend Portland for that exact reason. even then they blue light to UCH which is literally down the road.

Lindo is attached to St Marys
Queen Charlotte is attached to Hammersmith
St Thomas is attached to St Guys and St Thomas
UCH also has a private NICU

Those are are the four I would recommend as they all have excellent NICUs attached - one of the main reasons I am going private is that the local hospitals NICUs aren't great and the QC has one of the best in the world.

(I am unsure about Kensington or Kings as they were too far for me to look at and I can't speak for anywhere outside of London).

If the baby got blue lighted to somewhere 50 miles away then surely that would have been the same if they were private or NHS. If it's a private hospital then it is probably london so 50 miles would be a long way to go for any specialist care. But it may have been somewhere not in london[/quote]
Portland has its own NICU which is headed up by a Neonatal consultant who also works at St Mary's NICU. So the expertise there is at least equivalent to an NHS hospital, although you will obviously have to pay for your baby as a private patient, where as if you're a private patient in an NHS hospital, your baby is admitted as an NHS patient from the start.

Queen Charlotte's has probably the most advanced NICU in the country. I think it is the only one in London which cares for pre-24 week preemies

C&W has a level 3 NICU, as does Kings

But thousands of babies are born every year in hospitals without a NICU, thousands are born at home
There is never, ever any mention on other 'which hospital should I chose' threads of needing to be close to a level 3 NICU.
It's saved exclusively for threads on private maternity options presumably to shame women for wanting to spend money on themselves because it creates some risk for their baby.

One of the advantages of private maternity care is a lot of extra appointments and monitoring, usually by a senior consultant, so the chances of the baby unexpectedly needing NICU are low in any case

I think a lot of people see the brochure costs and think that's all in and don't realise that the doctors and aenethatist cost extra on top!

[quote Bells3032]@buntybanana but fyi as the bulk of the money is for the delivery changing at a later date generally doesn't save you that much money (maybe £2k) but if there are complications which involve lots of check ups and stays in hospital (e.g. pre-eclampsia) it can save you a lot. However, if you do develop these issues you can transfer back to NHS - but you can't then deliver privately[/quote]
I’m not sure that’s true everywhere. I had two privately at Queen Charlotte’s and the first arrived so quickly that I delivered with the NHS midwives before the consultant made it to the hospital! Sadly I didn’t get much of a discount as I was told the bulk of the fees are for ante and post natal care (which was excellent).

Hi,

This is al very helpful thread as I am also looking to deliver my 3rd privately... after 2 very traumatic NHS inductions.

I have a meeting with my consultant in a couple of weeks once I've had my harmony test results, and looking at queen Charlotte as is the closest to me (still an hour away) and they have great facilities.

One of the things I am worried about is being 'rejected' by the private consultant... I had to take blood pressure tablets as soon as I went into hospital both times to deliver (because I was so stressed being induced/ on a ward/ neglected!) and therefore will likely need proactively again. I also have a fibroid (which is surprisingly common) but just wondering whether anyone has any experience of not being the 'perfect' candidate and having private care...? Obviously I will ask my consultant in a couple of weeks but seeing whether if any of you ladies had any relevant experiences?

@stephd50 so sorry to hear you had two traumatic births on the NHS. May I ask why it was traumatic if you don't mind sharing?

Very overdue both times (42 weeks... I seem to carry them for a long time!), long exhausting inductions on wards (3 days and 4 days) and both ending in red button emergency situations and forceps/ventouse etc... so just over inductions and am fortunate that I have the choice to go private... if they'll have me! I have already been offered an ELCS on the NHS but worries about being on a post natal ward for days. I should say that I think I'm unlucky and I know many friends who 'pop them out' 🤣 or that had relatively drama free inductions...

@Ozanj

Private maternity hospitals will not deal with complications or emergencies so you do need to be prepared to be transferred (the cost of this is included in your contract). One way to mitigate this slightly is by going in for an elective c-section a little before your due date. But if you want to give birth vaginally I would probably choose NHS treatment.

This isn't always true. Mine covers this and you can choose private wing of an NHS hospital for best of both.

@stephd50 I'm so sorry that was your experience - it sounds horrible. Unfortunately I can't help with your question but I do hope you can get private care this time around! I also have anxiety surrounding birth & complications and this is another reason I want to go private.

@nc198567

Private health insurance won't cover maternity care in this country.

Also budget around £20k. Costs will almost always be higher than the base case.

Why do prople on MN make such blanket statements without knowledge.

If you have a premium health care package, it covers maternity. Mine does.

Why do prople on MN make such blanket statements without knowledge.

If you have a premium health care package, it covers maternity. Mine does.

To be fair that is unusual. And since OP’s healthcare is through her husband’s work, I’d be very surprised if it did.

@daffodils123 can i ask what insurance you have and whether it's uk based insurance. I have a friend who has swiss insurance and it pays for private delivery here but my top level BUPA will cover absolutely nothing.

@stephd50 it's fine not be a perfect candidate. in fact it's one of the reasons i am going private cos i felt a bit fobbed off with my issues. I have quite severe muscular issues caused by hypermobility including previously dislocating my pelvis and spontanous broken bones. I have also developed severe GD during this pregnancy. I am moving to QC a little later than planned (my chouce) but still happy to deliver me :)

[quote Bells3032]@daffodils123 can i ask what insurance you have and whether it's uk based insurance. I have a friend who has swiss insurance and it pays for private delivery here but my top level BUPA will cover absolutely nothing.

@stephd50 it's fine not be a perfect candidate. in fact it's one of the reasons i am going private cos i felt a bit fobbed off with my issues. I have quite severe muscular issues caused by hypermobility including previously dislocating my pelvis and spontanous broken bones. I have also developed severe GD during this pregnancy. I am moving to QC a little later than planned (my chouce) but still happy to deliver me :)[/quote]
BUPA global - can't remember which tier but the highest one I think.

Policy wording makes it super clear so OP just needs to check the wording or upgrade in advance if thinking of having a baby (usually 10-12 month waiting period before you can claim though on new policy for maternity)

Depends where you live. My daughter had her child at RSCH in Brighton. The ante natal care was superb ,seen and scanned regularly because of quiet baby and not feeling kicks . Her own community midwife was with her for the actual birth and another one of the team were with us throughout labour…absolutely superb care !

so it's a global one not a UK based one. None of the UK based ones cover maternity

*as in ones available through UK companies as a workplace scheme

@Bells3032 thanks for that... very reassuring and good luck with everything.

My global Aviva health insurance covered private maternity a few years ago. It was unlimited cover for c-section if medically needed. You need to have cover in place for 10 months before giving birth. It was expensive though. I think the premium was £5k a year.

May I ask the company you get private maternity care covered please?