How do I register with St Thomas Hospital??

[Ashley5]

Hi, I need some advice with London hospitals! I live in Greenwich and pregnant with my first. I've been told by my GP that I can either go to Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich or Lewisham hospital, no other choices. I've heard bad things about intervention rates and cleanliness at QEH so am not keen on there and ditto with Lewisham. I had my heart set on going to St Thomas but GP has told me that they cannot refer me there as I am not in the catchment area. I've read on this website that some other Greenwich mums have been able to get into St Thomas....can anyone give me advice how to do this??

I phoned the maternity ward at St Thomas and they said I cannot self refer and they would only accept me if I had a high risk pregnancy. I'm only early on in my pregnancy so don't know whether I am low or high risk yet.

Thanks for your help!

My GP is Greenwich based although I live in Blackheath. He referred me to St. Thomas's at my request (even though he didn't think I'd get it) and they accepted. Maybe you could see someone else at your practise and they might make a referral for you?

I've been hearing good things about Lewisham's brand new maternity unit recently if you don't get St. Thomas's. They also will let you have a private room on the postnatal ward for only £30 a night!

Congrats on your pregnancy and good luck!

Hi, thanks for your reply! Could you let me know which GP surgery you're registered with? Mine (Vanbrugh) is fairly certain they are unable to refer me to St Thomas. I've spoken to the maternity ward at St Thomas and they will only accept me if they have a referral from my GP!

I really want to go to St Thomas so this is stressing me out a bit! Thanks again!

I'm registered at Greenwich South Street. I think it helped my referral that my address is in Lewisham Borough and St. Thomas's do say they will consider referrals from Lewisham.

My SIL lived in Greenwich and was registered with the GP on Creek Road (which also has a branch in Burnley Stret) and she had no problems being accepted by St. Thomas's.

Hope you get what you want!

Hi there

No vested interest personally but I'm surprised that the intervention rate at the Qe2 gave you concern. It was much higher at St Thomas's on the NHS site that I saw stats on. I went with Qe2 on that basis - that and the hour's commute to St T's on a Sunday morning. Didn't think I could cope with the stress if it was rush hour and as it turned out - the 10 min drive to the Qe2 felt long enough after 8 hrs in the bath with a couple of paracetamol!! :-)
You should go wherever you are most comfortable obviously but from personal experience, I can't recommend Qe2 highly enough. I had very low expectations but the staff and the whole experience was great despite the heat wave and the eventual intervention (stopped dilating). The downside to the hospital is frankly the other patients, a lot are rude, ill mannered and imho the staff deserve a medal for not slapping a lot of them and their visitors. Cleanliness standards were v high that I saw - you just need to be quick on the draw sometimes as it appears that fellow patients have some fairly lax standards and short of cleaning a bathroom after each occupant, it's difficult to manage.
Best of luck

Turns out I am unable to go to St Thomas after all as I am not in the catchment area and am classified as low risk. I think you're right though about going to a nearby hospital as I don't want to be stuck in Monday morning rush hour traffic when I'm in labour!

Think i'll look into the new birth centre at Lewisham. It looks really nice on their website. Does anyone have any experiences of the new birth centre at Lewisham, or any views on the maternity wards at Lewisham vs QEH?

x

I have 2 good friends locally also having babies this year. One is going to QEH and the other to Lewisham! Both hospitals have good reputations these days, so it's very much down to what you as an individual want from a birthing unit/hospital. I know there are comparison sites online. Not an easy decision to make but you can always switch hosptials later in your antenatal care if you like.

I had my little one in Lewisham last May. We were the 2nd admission into the new birthing unit (it opened that day), but he was actually born in the labour ward (he got stuck and despite all the midwifes best efforts, nothing was moving him- hence the need for an instrumental delivery). I have to say I thought Lewisham was fab (both the birthing unit and the labour ward)and it was so reasuring to have the birthing centre in the hospital in case things dont quite work out how you would like.

I know people rave about St T, but for me it was more important to have a hospital closer to home and as things worked out it was brilliant. Also I have heard subsequently of people who gave birth at St T but were unhappy with it- specifically that it was too busy and they werent being listened to. Maybe a victim of its own success? Of course those could be issolated incidents..

Hope thats of some helop.

Hi there
Have never been to Lewisham hospital so this is all based on the experiences of an NCT friend who choose it on the basis of the birthing unit which I gather is gorgeous, hotel standard accommodation. When she did the tour she discovered that you won't be admitted until you are X dilated, basically in full labour (so far so normal esp in a busy hospital), but once delivered they kick you out within 4 hrs. She was on board with that, frankly that did my head in - I wanted some hand holding and BF tutoring before exiting the hospital so between that and the main hospital being pretty old I stuck with the QE2.
In the end, they moved her into the main hospital almost immediately and she had a difficult labour despite all the hypnobirthing and preg yoga she could do.
You can tour all the hospitals - you should do it and ask as many questions as you can think of. Nothing worse than not knowing the score when you are actually in labour. I actually called them to ask if towels were provided :-)

Hi I had first dd at QEH was an utter disaster would not wish the hospital on anyone for childbirth and post natal was appalling

I refused point blank to go, I requested St thomas's and was told I could self refer
I did and was taken on by then. If you go to the website you can print out the form and send it in.

I had dd2 at St thomas's 10 weeks ago and the difference between the 2 hospitals is amazing
St thomas's have more staff and its much less frantic ( I only speak from personal experience)
staff actually come to your bed when you press the buzzer!