Looking for a paediatrician for our baby girl

[CrissiRey]

Hello can anyone recommend us a good well trusted private Paediatrician in our area ? Bromley, Chislehurts? Thank you !!

Are you American? Generally, we take our babies to the GP here. GPs see children from birth and adults. If your baby has special clinical needs, you will usually be referred to a specialist paediatrician at the hospital level - for example, a paediatric oncologist if cancer or a paediatric neurologist if there are neurological issues. Otherwise, you just need your local GP surgery.

Well if you have private health insurance you can choose to see a specialist if you have a referral from the GP. What specialty are you looking for?

I mean usually people just take their child to a GP? If you have private medical insurance that's different but for general medicine a GP is fine. If it's something specific then you'd need to look at specialists in that specific area?

Not really, just grew up in Europe and we normally take them to a paediatrician. Plus what I can recall when I was a child.. mine was simple incredible. Would even come home on an evening, Yes my parents would also pay privately but this doctor was all vocation and you could tell for the extra hours he would not even bother to charge.

i wanted Something like that for my daughter

Generally we only see a Paediatrician if there is a real problem. Your HV can advise you on things like feeding and sleep. If they’re unwell you go to the GP who can make a referral.

I’m sure some families who have unlimited funds do pay privately for a Paed to just to keep an eye on their DC but I think in the UK you’d be hard pressed to find one in the UK for a healthy baby.

Is there a certain aspect of your LO’s health or behaviour that you need advice on?

We were referred to a paediatrician with our daughter’s gastro issues and opted to pay privately to speed the wait but as others have said, you need to go to the GP and have something serious wrong with your child to get that.

If you have private health insurance why not contact them? It may be different. If you don’t it’s to the GP, but only if you have a problem you’re worried about.

I sympathise - my sister is in Australia where healthcare is private and she sees a lot of their paediatrician, for things we just let ride here. It must feel a bit strange if you are used to that level of access to medical reassurance - but they are very good here if there is an actual problem.

Did you ask GP for the 6-week check and are you taking her to be weighed every 3 weeks? Those are the touch points, along with the HV visit and the 2, 3 and 4-month immunisations. We had a red book with it all in, do you have that?

The medical system either public or private doesn’t really work like that here.

A private GP is probably closer to what you’re looking for. One person who you can build a relationship with and have consistency with. But people don’t take their children to them routinely here, only when the child is unwell or has an issue requiring medical attention.

Routine developmental check ups are at ages 1 and 2 with a health visitor.

We've had great service from the St John and St Elizabeth hospital in SJW. It's very easy to self-refer to a paediatrician there and you can just pay for what you use.

I know what you mean, I’m also from Europe and it is strange not to have ‘your’ paediatrician with whom you can check in regularly. My mum is absolutely shocked that my DS grows up without being seen by a paediatrician every two months for a thorough check up, and that I don’t have anyone I can call when I feel something’s wrong with him (apart my GP at 8am just to be told that there are no appointments and to go to A&E if I’m concerned). I do use a private GP now with paediatric training, at least I can get my DS seen as needed. You could Google for private GPs in your area and look for one with paediatric training.

But WTAF do these paediatricians do for healthy kids?? Money for old rope.

Dream on.

NHS doctors used to do regular home visits and can still do it on rare occasions.

There's not many places in the world you'd get that these days.

My dc grew up in the USA where you have a paediatrician but they weren’t that attentive op. In fact mostly the nurses saw you and the doctor would pop in for 1-2 minutes if you were lucky for check ups which were annual

You’ll be lucky to even see a gp face to face on the nhs in the uk. I would personally find a private paediatrician by word of mouth.

Yes my parents would also pay privately but this doctor was all vocation and you could tell for the extra hours he would not even bother to charge.
i wanted Something like that for my daughter

As a specialist clinician, I read that and honestly think, wtf. You want a medical specialist to work for free. Absolute cf territory. You can care for patients and strive to provide the best clinical service, but you want someone to work for free?

Anything a GP would except they have special training to deal with diseases in children. I'm also in Europe and all DC's check ups, vaccinations and any doctors appointments for illness or injury are with paediatricians. Most GPs won't even accept kids as patients - generally they only do in rural areas where there are no paediatricians available.

I think it very much depends where you are. Generally we don’t have a problem.

All of our vaccinations and regular check ups are with Nurses which is fair. Health Visitors generally do regular Nurse training then do specialist training to qualify. I do appreciate that under the last government funding for services that affect mainly women and children has been cut and this includes the Health Visiting service but they are still highly qualified professionals and you can see them regularly at the weigh in clinics.

Of course not HoppingPavlova. But I am also talking about some “passed times” when in Europe, at least there and then ; doctors were not only very well ( fairly ) remunerated ( you could leave med uni and buy a nice house ; that sort of thing ) and they were very respected. I’m in the field too… I know the struggles of the NHS, the budget issues etc.

With hand in heart I will say that it is also easier to do the extra “mile” when you are well paid / reasonably working hours and and people really appreciate what you do for them