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Living overseas

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Original poster

public hospitals in Oz

11 replies

teabags · 25/06/2006 19:55

are they similar in standards to the UK?
I had DS1 in London (NHS) which was fine, and no.2 will be iborn n Oz. I just wondered if anyone had experience of both?

OP posts:
YeahBut · 25/06/2006 20:42

They are much, much, much better. Cleaner, better access to specialists etc. etc. Could go on and on but suffice it to say that you'll have no problems. Base rate of income tax in Australia is around the 40% mark which makes a huge difference to public spending compared with UK. Where will you be going in Australia? (dd1 born London, dd2 born Oz, ds born Holland and the UK delivery was by far the worst.)

Original poster
teabags · 25/06/2006 21:39

thanks, we'll be in Melbourne
Can you get private rooms in Oz or do you have to share? In the NHS in London most hospitals have private rooms you can stay in on your own. Sorry, for being superficial! I am not worried about the delivery, but the comfort factor afterwards !

OP posts:
eidsvold · 25/06/2006 22:46

You can get private rooms in Aus - have to pay or claim on private health insurance. I had dd2 in Brisbane hospital - great care, only had to stay in 5 days as I had a c-section and dd2 had jaundice.... In some cases they were better in terms of standards than the UK.

High standard of cleanliness, care etc. The biggest war area you will get is a 4 bed - I stayed in that after having my own room and ensuite for dd1 and it was fine. Most women were in and out as soon as possible - especially second time mums. You can do something called shared care - assume you do that in VIC as well. I had most of my appointments with the GP and only had about 3 or 4 from memory at the hospital - suited me fine - had dd2 who had special needs and the hospital could be up to an hour away in peak hour traffic.

Can't say enough positives about it. Brilliant midwives.

eidsvold · 25/06/2006 22:50

that should be ward area....

debbies · 20/07/2006 09:39

Hospitals are very similar to the UK. What sort of birth are you hoping for? Australia has an obstetric culture when it comes to giving birth. CS rates are high, and if you want one-to-one midwifery care you will find it difficult.

Mamapossum · 21/07/2006 03:01

Hi teabags, I moved from UK to Oz at 30 wks and DS was born in a public hospital in Sydney (the Royal Women's)- can't praise it highly enough. Re your query about the comfort factor - I had a twin room but the other occupant left the morning after I gave birth, and no-one else came in so I ended up with effectively a private room with ensuite and balcony!! I thought I'd want to go home ASAP but I loved being there so much I stayed for 4 days. The atmosphere was lovely, the food was good and it was great to wander round in your jim-jams chatting to other new mums and going to all the classes on breastfeeding, settling, etc. And it didn't cost a penny.

Not sure precisely what you mean by obstetric culture Debbies - but if you mean lots of intervention etc, I found that all of the professionals involved in my labour were hugely encouraging and supportive of natural labour, and the culture here seemed less 'medical' than the UK, but that's not saying much and I'm sure it varies hugely according to the staff you end up with. I wanted to give birth in the Birth Centre at the Royal Womens, but because I arrived in Aus at 30 wks I was only able to join the waiting list. I was a wee bit disappointed at having to give birth in the delivery suite and v scared of 'cascade of intervention' etc (I am scared of hospitals - I know its silly)!! Because I was nervous about the whole thing, even more so being far from home and not knowing how Aussie hospitals work,(and DP is not good with blood, poo etc and thought he might pass out - he didn't) I decided to have a doula. Best decision EVER! The midwives were delighted she was there and basically left us to it, we managed the pain with strategically directed shower attachments and VERY hot water - it was superb and I would highly recommend it (having a doula).

We have since moved to Melbourne, I have heard good things about the Birth Centre at Royal Hospital for Women here - birthing rooms with double beds and ensuite, and you can stay there with your partner for 1 or 2 nights after delivery (if you want to stay longer you can move to the postnatal ward). More info here: www.rwh.org.au/fbc/info.cfm?doc_id=3706 When are you moving teabags? Do you know where you're going to be living? Give us a shout if you have any qus about Melbourne (you can CAT me if you want)! Good luck with it all.

Mamapossum · 21/07/2006 03:06

And by the way, that all was exactly a year ago today - this time last year I was at home wondering if I was in labour... wasn't in doubt for much longer ! My beautiful DS was born 12 hours later, just after midnight,(it's noon down here, whatever the time of the post says!!)so will be 1 tomorrow... and I only came on here to get a recipe for birthday cake, and have to pick him up from occasional care in an hour so better stop wittering and get on with it!!

Boo94 · 21/07/2006 05:31

Teabags, the most you'll have sharing is 2 if you go to the Royal Women's at Randwick or RPA in Camperdown, Sydney. The maternity wing at RPA is brand new and they have more single rooms so it's more likely you'll be on your own. Standard of care at both was excellent. Heard lots of horror stories about the UK so was very happy with the care I received.
Mamapossum, same thing here, started off in Sydney and then moved to Melbourne. Whereabouts are you? How are you finding it?

Boo94 · 21/07/2006 06:47

Oops! Just re-read that you'll be in Melbourne so why would you want to know about Sydney hospitals?! Have heard good things about Sandringham hospital here in Melbourne and also Royal Women's.

debbies · 21/07/2006 07:49

Mamapossum - to clarify what I meant be the 'obstetric culture' is that the system is dr/ob/gp driven as they are the primary carers here. Midwives are not autonomous practitioners in the same way as they are in the UK (they don't have Medicare provider numbers for example). I am sure that most/all midwives are personally very encouraging of natural/normal birth etc., but they are working within obstetric protocols etc. If you want one-to-one midwifery care (or even a home birth) you will really need to employ an independent midwife. In the UK, if you want to book with a midwife and have nothing to do with a dr then you can. If you want a homebirth, then you have the right in the UK. Those choices here in Aus are difficult if not impossible. Having said that in the East things are changing and some states e.g. NSW are introducing such things as caseloading services at Belmont, Camden and Ryde, and a hoembirth service out of St Georges and I understand that the Royal Women's is good. Here in WA, the only homebirth service only provides for 300 births per year - much less than the number of women wanting one

As you can see it is something that I feel strongly about The UK is far from perfect, but Australia's maternity provision (in terms if choice) is lacking..

OK - off my soapbox now

Mamapossum · 21/07/2006 23:35

Wow debbies I certainly see what you mean and thank-you for explaining it, sounds like a topic well worthy of soapboxing Hi Boo94, in Westgarth, loving Melb so far altho a bit chilly obviously after Sydney, but I don't miss the humidity or the mozzies - how about you?

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