North Middlesex Hosp vs Whittington

[tostaky]

I know, I know, nobody in their right mind would chose to go to the North Middlesex Hosp because it is so run-down?.. but I gave birth to my first-one at the Whittington and I had a dreadful experience.
Looking at stats on instrumental deliveries etc I have to note that north middlesex does fare better than the Whittington?

• birth per year: W: 3700 Nth M: 3500
• induction rate: W: 19.5% Nth M: 14.1%
• cesarian rate: W: 27.2% Nth M: 24.1%
• instrumental rate: W:15.9% Nth M: 6.2%

www.birthchoiceuk.com/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?www.birthchoiceuk.com/StatsExplain.htm

Now you have to wonder why does the NthM has better stats? Especially after this: A newborn baby died of a fractured skull (because of forceps) after doctors failed to follow clinical guidelines and wrongly delayed delivering him by an emergency Caesarean section Link: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6606245/Baby-died-of-fractured-skull-after-Caesarean-section-delayed .html
Would it be still wrong to go for the North Middlesex? This accident happened not long ago and they still may have staff problem?
Or was it a one-off that could have happened at the whittington?

Anybody had experience of the North middlesex? I am scared shitless of instrumental delivery - and I will be attempting a VBAC - In roughly 8 weeks.
thanks

Looking at UCH and Royal free - they both have similar stats to the Whittington.
However Whittington and NorthM are both rated "least well performing" trusts and UCH and Royal Free are "fair performing" (rated by the healthcare commission , see birthchoice uk website)
What a headache? and I don?t think going for a tour of the maternity ward will help me choose either? I don?t care about the paint color? I want competent and available staff

Hello,

I may not be able to help a great deal as am only 18 weeks pregnant with first however I have had all my check up and scans upto 16 weeks at Nrth Mid and have just transferred to Whittington.

I chose North Mid orginally as it was nearest but have been really unhappy with all appointments and my gut feeling was I wasn't happy there. Just felt I was treated like dirt by most of the people I came into contact with there. Like they all had beter things to do and I was in the way. It just felt wrong.

After doing some research and speaking to new mums and mums almost at their due at my yoga class they all had such good things to say about Whittington. Had my booking in with the most lovely midwife and feel 'looked after'. The birthing suite looks and sounds great and they are all for no intervention unless absolutely necessary, in which case you will be moved to Labour Ward.

Have also heard a couple of good things about UCH so might be worth a look but Royal Free seems to have a bad reputation.

So sorry you had such a bad experience last time, how long ago was it? I'm hoping things may have changed. xx

I know of someone who has had a total nightmare at Royal Free - had to have surgery FOUR times since giving birth a few months ago to correct birth damage and later problems with stiches falling out.

ok - thanks

Anybody else has experience at the North middlesex??

Hi,

sorry - except the usual gossip: I know someone in my NCT group who knows someone who had their first child at North Middlesex and was so appalled that she had her second one at home... I can't really add much. It's all hearsay - so not at all reliable.

I myself am at the Whittington (29 weeks now) and so far I think it's great but I am yet to give birth...

Maybe things have improved from your experience since they opened the new birth centre last summer?

Anyway - we might not have much choice soon as there are plans to close Whittington maternity - just started a new discussion on this:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/politics/921839-Closure-of-maternity-services-at-Whittington-Hosp ital-North-London