Is it possible to transfer to the private wing at chelsea and westminster after NHS c-section?

[spur999]

Hi, My insurance company is covering my c-section and aftercare. The consultants are all booked up so I am having to have the section on the NHS next week. It seems to be impossible to transfer over to the private wing after - even if the consultant is the same.
They class the room as an amenity room which is not covered.... has anyone experienced this?
The insurance company are happy to cover the aftercare - I am very confused! The price is the same etc. The hospital are just saying there is no way I can do this? Help...! Thanks again as always..

Hi spur, sadly I can't help but watching with interest as wondering the same thing (when I get to that point!).

Sorry if I'm being nosey, but which insurance company are you with and can I ask why they agreed to cover the section and aftercare? I have a couple of pre-existing conditions which seem to indicate I'd be a candidate for a c-section, so wondering how helpful your insurer was!

I too am at the C&W and wondering if I can combine NHS with the Kensington wing, or whether the private rooms that you can pay for after an NHS c-section are not actually in the Kensington wing at all...

Hi spur - did you ask the Kensington Wing or the NHS ward? St Mary's NHS don't advertise a transfer to the Lindo for aftercare but I asked the Lindo and they said yes if one is available. You might have to pay for the room yourself and just claim back from the insurer though if you're not having the procedure there. Would you consider other hospitals that may still have consultants available for your dates?

Hi, my reason was medical- trauma from previous birth. It's too late to change now...

The private room at Chelsea and Westminster is classed as 'amenity' room which is not covered. I spoke to the Kensington wing and they said they are full at the moment... So I need to wait until the day. It's confusing because they charge the same, the care is private not Nhs.

I would need to be transferred over by my consultant but if they call it an amenity room on the bill it's not covered and I can't claim the money back. But it's the same thing and the consultant will be the same...

Having delivered at C&W, the amenity rooms are not the same as the private ones. For instance they are not ensuite, you get the same bog standard meals as everyone else. They are just private. Also C&W told me that their policy was that post C section you are kept on the ward nearest to the nurses station so an eye kept on you. You may not be a candidate for an amenity room. Finally, when I was there the amenity room was allocated on the basis of need. A mum of twins and another mum with a very complicated birth and a long hospital stay had been given the rooms.
The Kensington Wing is very different but after delivery you can call them and ask to be transferred if they have space.

Also your consultant on paper may be the same but he won't necessarily be performing the C section or providing any after care. Again, very different from the Kensington Wing where you get some continuity.

Hi, I spoke to the Kensington wing - it's apparently the same rooms as the others - they just class it as amenity room... As I am not part of a private package. The other amenity rooms are cheaper and not part of the private wing . They allocate rooms on 1st come 1st serve with the packaged private patients taking priority. All this info has come from the receptionist- she also said people have problems claiming the money back on their insurance... Hence me wondering if anyone had been there. It's interesting that the Lindo wing allow the swap from Nhs to private - thanks so much for sharing....