Choosing a hospital - any recommendations?

[cubed]

My GP explained I have three choices: St Geaorges (Tooting), St Thomas' (Westminster) or Chelsea and Westinster. Has anyone got any experiences they can share? Don't know which one to choose.

Consider ease of travel to each, parking, congestion charge etc

I have tried G & T and would choose T over G anytime
Facilities are better, delivery rooms are ensuite, postnatal wards are smaller with a dedicated shower room

St Thomas' was great. Had both Ds 1 & 2 there. Good for the following reasons in no particular order

1. Evelina kids on site so if something was to go wrong during the birth or something thronw up during scanning the baby will be in the best possible place (I know that sounds negative but one of the reasons I chose tommys)
2. Great day assessment unit so if you need to be seen you can drop in anytime
3. Lovely birthing centre and mat ward
4. Teaching hospital so you will have the best staff there

not so good for:

1.parking - expensive and also within congestion zone

At the end of the day it will also depend on vicinity to home but I would choose tommy's every time.

Good luck!

We're going with C&W. Has come highly recommended from friends and a doctor friend who works there. Having said that had a scan at St G's and it was fine.

Had both at C&W- very good. Postnatally a bit stretched but then think they all are. DS was in special care for a couple of days so got a private room (they save them for 'special cases'). Was reassured that should anything go wrong they have v good facilities etc.
Very good for food nearby (important when you are in for a while).
To be honest I would go for the one that's easiest to get to for the actual birth and any appointments you may need before that as they're all good large hospitals.

Think carefully about which is closest rather then the snob factor.

George's and Tommies both have good and nice midwife lead units, although I have heard you are more likely to be able to get into the George's one

Both have good neonatal units, staff and are teaching hospitals etc.

FWIW George's has more senior people working there at nights/weekends etc which might make for a 'better' experience if you need them (although perhaps doesn't make the staf happier!)

I had mine at St Thomas' a while ago (I need a new name ) and my experience of everything apart from my midwife -which was a community one- was so awful I probably need counselling.
I'm talking about the waits, the rude staff, the incompetant staff, the lying staff etc etc

TBH I think there's little to choose between George's/Tommies/Kings it's swings and roundabouts

my job means I come into contact with hundreds of pregnant women every year and get lots of feedback on the local hospitals - all have good and bad points

St George's has the Carmen Suite (midwife-led birth centre) which is fantastic and women who've given birth there are very, very happy - the labour ward isn't generally such a great experience, but the main problems arise on the postnatal ward but they are trying to address this. Neonatal unit is excellent.

St Thomas' - depending on where you are can be a pain to get to and parking is extremely tricky. Home from home unit is physically lovely, but don't get swayed by the view! It's not a midwife led unit. In general, less experienced staff than at St George's - postnatal care pretty dire

C&W - very few good reports from here - and very high intervention rates - tbh I'd avoid like the plague!

but when it comes down to it, the most important thing is which is easiest for you to get to? You also have the choice of a home birth, which your GP should also have explained to you - if your pregnancy is low-risk (which the vast majority are) there's no advantage in choosing a hospital birth - you could always transfer in if you needed to

I had my first dd at c&w and hated it, the postnatal care was terrible, nasty midwives etc..

for dd2 I had a homebirth but spent a night at St Georges and it was very good

OP- you wrote your post a while ago so if you have already chosen C&W and then read some of the posts on here, please don't panic! I really did have a fantastic experience there with DD and DS and the midwives were great on the whole. Lots of people I know also did (and went back to have more children there). (Only saying this because I read loads of negative things and got in a bit of a panic!).

I'm interested to read this - had first at St Thomas's - great apart from grumpy midwife during birth - but postnatal care great. Now nearer St G's - but was worried about the bad review the Healthcare Commission gave it. Has anyone been there recently that could reassure me it's improved?
I know second time round I shd be more confident but because had a good expereince more or less last time - not wanting a bad one this time (particularly cos am no spring chicken)

i was at georges in december & everythig from scans to the acual birth was wonderful. i had a tricky time at the end after a 6 day labour but it all came good & i coudn't fault them on anything. its the best maternity hospital in europe ....