GP recommendation in or near St. John's Wood

[98012wa]

Recently moved from the USA to London. I'm 9 weeks along and overwhelmed with trying to navigate the heathcare system. Also, is it possible to have a private obstetrician and then deliver in a public hospital?

Hi - I'm in st Johns wood and can't recommend highly enough the Randolph Surgery. It's actually at the top of Maida Vale but it's the best GPs I've ever had. Not sure about private obstetricians and then NHS hospital but why don't you call John and Lizzies and ask them?

ps - if you still have american insurance, you can use that to cover costs. I delivered at John and Lizzies (a private hospital in St Johns Wood) paid for by my american insurance.

You can also use a private OB (here called a consultant) to deliver in the private wing of a public hospital - eg the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's - which some people like because they get the benefits of a private experience with the backup of a full hospital just down the hall. I did find though that American insurance (I'm on Cigna Int'l) finds that concept hard to understand and is more used to dealing with a fully private place like the Portland, where I'll be delivering in early September.

More generally, I've found that if you go with a private consultant, there is no role for a GP and I've yet to pick or see one. Do need to get it sorted though for after the baby is born so that I have one in our neighborhood.

Meant to add that if you don't have US insurance and are trying to fully get your head around the healthcare system here, I found the book Harden's London Baby Guide pretty useful in explaining how things work and providing lots of contact numbers, etc. although by the time I ordered it I had figured out quite a lot by obsessive Mummsnet reading... I think it is out of print (though only from 2002), but you can still get it used on Amazon.

Congratulations by the way!

Thank you all for the information! No longer have US insurance, so I'm trying to sort what I should pay for and what services (if any)I can obtain through the NHS. I was hoping to pay for a private OB and then deliver in a public hospital and pay for a private room. Sounds like St. Mary's might be the ticket.

I had ds1 in NYC, ds2 in London three months ago. Would be glad to talk by email about navigating the medical system here.

One thought ... if St. Mary's is all booked, try Queen Charlotte's. It's a huge NHS research hospital with a private wing, some world-class ob/gyns, and excellent neo-natal facilities. A little out of the way and therefore doesn't get booked up as quickly. I switched to private care at 36 weeks -- the birth was beautiful.

Thanks Anagram. I would love to email with you regarding the healthcare system. I'm not keen to post my email address. Is there another way to pass along the information?

Will look into this later on today ... at the moment am somewhat swamped with caring for a 3 month old

ooh! i'm american too (orig from md and then tx) and live in st johns wood. right when i moved here i found out i was 12 weeks along.

i went to the st johns wood medical practice in st johns and elizabeth hospital (across the street from the american school of london).

**i am having a private delivery in an nhs hospital (chelsea and westminster) but in their private mat wing. I have blue cross blue shield from america and am using that. i also have axa ppp from my husband and am also using that. figuring it all out in the start was daunting but i've managed.

i live in eyre court (it's across the st johns tube station) if you need any help just email me at : kishmish at gmail dot com.

the st johns wood medical practice is an nhs clinic thats in st john and lizzies. they are really great about getting you scanned right away and getting your antenatal stuff together. but i was insistent on a referral to a private ob right away.

98012wa, here's how to get in touch with me Anagramemail-mumsnet at yahoo dot co dot uk