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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Private room in NHS hospital?

16 replies

HappyGirl1 · 15/09/2010 10:43

Hi,

I've heard you can pay to have a private room after birth.. does anyone know anything about this?

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lucybrad · 15/09/2010 10:44

i got one because I had a section, dont know how I would cope on a ward so interested in the reply to this.

sarahscot · 15/09/2010 10:47

When I had my DS 3 years ago it was £45 a night for a private room. You booked and paid in advance, although they couldn't guarantee one would be free when you needed it, in which case you'd get your money back. I think we were told about it at the ante-natal classes.

isobelle · 15/09/2010 10:54

at our local hospital they insist you are in the observation bays on the main ward after cs so they can monitor you closely for the first day/night anyhow.

£145 a night without ensuite (175 with) at our NHS hospital

slimyak · 15/09/2010 10:55

At our hospital it's the same as Sarah, you can book but no guarantee. They are given to those in most need first so you automatically get on if you've had a long difficult birth or C-section.

Our midwife lead unit (where I'm not allowed to go as I'm high risk) is all private rooms.

Hazeyjane · 15/09/2010 10:56

ours was £140 one off payment, however many nights you stay. They didn't insist on a night in the ward after c-section. They kindly let me stay in one anyway because ds was in SCBU, and I was an absolute physical and mental wreck.

cardamomginger · 15/09/2010 11:03

At my hospital (Whittington) you can request an "amenity room" which is a single room (I think with own bathroom) on the post natal ward. You have to pay and I think it is about 100 a night. Of course, it is subject to availability and I should imagine they give priority to those women who have had a particularly tough time of it. Am hoping like hell that I will be discharged straight to home after the birth - had one night on the antenatal ward a few weeks back, which has a similar "Victorian" layout to the post natal ward. What with all the lights and the noise and chatter I managed to get 3 hours of fitful dozing and was a zombie the next day. God alone knows how I'd cope with it post birth and with a baby to take care of...

Portofino · 15/09/2010 11:04

I had one - cost about £30 a night I think. They couldn't guarantee availability but CSs got first call.

nymphadora · 15/09/2010 11:08

£40 a night here. I'm down as a high need anyway but am quite happy to pay not to share a room!

Original poster

HappyGirl1 · 15/09/2010 11:35

Thanks Ladies, did ye just ring the hospital directly to book the room?

OP posts:

LadySanders · 15/09/2010 11:38

my local hospital had them for about 60 quid, i requested one after ds2 born and there was one free so got it. then with dd there wasn't one available so spent a hellish night on the ward.

SaraL77 · 15/09/2010 12:02

we paid £50 each night (had to stay 2 nights in the end) I think I mentioned it when i phoned them in labour and then when at the hospital. Definitely doing it again this time.

emmyloulou · 15/09/2010 12:18

Private rooms vary in cost also you may get it and them be moved out again but not charged.

As clinical need trumps cash. If it's a busy hospital having a c-section does not automatically entitle you. There will be a list of needs first, for example, infection control being 1st then other reasons such as baby needing light therapy, trauma in birth, baby in SCBU etc, then c-sections, then private.

So if you get a private room and there becomes a clinical need for it they can move you to a ward or not give it to you if it has not been allocated.

FioFio · 15/09/2010 12:20

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted

zahara1 · 15/09/2010 12:30

I was thinking of booking a room too. I am giving birth at St Thomas and when i enquired about the costs my jaw fell to the floor! They charge £690 per night!!
How mad is this?!

Anyway that's me sorted...no private room :(

turkeyboots · 15/09/2010 12:37

Here a private room is £175 for as long as you need it for. I had 3 nights after a c-section and no request to stay on a ward for observation. But ours is a very new hospital with maybe 70% private rooms. DD was born in a much older London hospital which said they had private rooms, but in reality didn't as they'd been converted into offices!

Smithagain · 15/09/2010 12:42

I had one when DD1 was born. Had to pay a number of £100s (I was in for four nights), but DH has medical insurance through work and we managed to claim it back.

I felt in need of privacy because I was struggling after a very bad tear (hence the medical insurance cover). In retrospect, though, I'm not sure it was the right decision. I felt very isolated and the private rooms were at the end of a long corridor, so you had to make a specific call for the midwives - they weren't generally around the place.

With DD2 I was on a ward of four beds. It was still pretty quiet and it was nice to have people around. Mind you, DD2 made a much smoother entrance into the world, so I was probably also in a much better frame of mind.

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