Queen Charlotte's v Chelsea and Westminster

[MulderitsmeX]

Hello all,
I know there are some old threads about this but wondered if anyone has any recent experiences of Queen Charlotte's and c&w

1. I have private insurance but theres a limit for the whole pregnancy so currently putting that to one side in case I need to use it if anything goes wrong and going to opt for private if i still have it intact closer to my due date.

1. Will definitely try to opt for a private room although aware availability might be low- have heard QC more likely to have rooms?

1. Live in putney/Fulham area so both local although c and w better on public transport.

I've heard c&w wards are crowded and uninterested midwives.

Am quite early in my pg but don't want to chop and change with scans etc and am so indecisive it will take me ages to make up my mind!!

Thank you

I was at c&w (I think my reasoning was about as deep as Chelsea looking better on the passport than shepherds bush ) - overall really happy with them.

I had two good experiences at.c & w. The postnatal ward was busy but it worked in my favour. The first time i ended up in a quieter overflow ward. The 2nd time they had nowhere to put me so in stayed in my lovely birthing room in the mwu. Double bed, private bathroom etc. staff were busy though. Took ages to get pain meds.

Mlu, not mwu!

Temporary, the full name is Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital which is on the birth certificate and Hammersmith (as in London Borough of) on the passport so you do get a Chelsea and not a hint of Shepherds Bush

Joking aside, I've had two at QCH and antenatal and post natal care is chaotic but I think that's fairly common in London hospitals. The labour ward was v good though both times and extremely reactive to any problems. There is a ward of private rooms for post natal recovery called Stanley Clayton but it's NHS care and you can also get cheaper side rooms on the normal post natal ward. Full private care with Imperial isn't at QCH though, it's the Lindo Wing at St Mary's.

I've chosen Chelsea & Westminster. Likely much the same in terms of care you will receive (though if private, the Kensington Wing at C&W is much nicer). Also if you are in for a while/need DP to nip out for anything, you're right in the middle of things with C&W but basically at the back of wormwood scrubs at Queen Charlottes. I have a complicated pregnancy and haven't been able to fault C&W so far - even the EPU is brilliant.

Queen Charlotte's antenatal care did involve a lot of waiting for appointments but the actual medical care during the birth was superb. Very clean ward afterwards, nurses hit and miss.

I'm with C&W and have been v impressed so far (3rd baby). I was in huge pain a few weeks ago at 23 weeks and called the maternity ward. They were warm and kind and brought me in straight away. They saw me within 10 minutes and checked me thoroughly. The outpatients dept is busy but I imagine all maternity depts are esp in London. I've been seen on time for all appointments so far so all good!

Also, lots of shops nearby for food etc and a huge underground car park.

Queen charlottes for me again. This will be my second one born there, with my dd2 who was born there, they had seen me numerous times for bleeding and scans in epu and when she stopped moving at 38 weeks had me in immediately and born with an hour. They were really great. The anaesthetist was particularly brilliant, so reassuring during the op.

I've had both mine at QCH, and would recommend. First time I paid to move to Stanley Clayton after 5 nights in pre and post natal wards due to complications, expensive but worth it for the peace! Second time I went straight for the private ward. I quite liked the fact that it's a maternity hospital rather than ward or wing. Agree that the area isn't great for food etc but you're not far from Westfield!

Thanks for the input all. I think I will go for QCH - will come back with my (hopefully glowing) review in 6 months!!

I've had recent experience of both (sent to EPU at QCH at 6 weeks after bleeding, and have had two follow-up appointments there) and I also had midwives from QC after the birth of my son, when we had just moved into the area.

BUT I have chosen Chelsea and Westminster and have been super impressed with care so far: I found the QC building really depressing (dirty loos, labyrinthine corridors, insanely hot) and had to wait an extremely long time for all of my appointments. Was also distinctly unimpressed by the doctor who did my last scan, who kept freaking me out by saying that things may be abnormal and then barking at me to stop looking so stressed! Ended up with three people in the room moving the vaginal probe around and trying to work out what was going on on the screen, and did not feel I was being treated with respect. Midwives were also fairly hopeless and kept rescheduling, so spent half of my son's first three weeks at home waiting for them. (Not sure if hospital you give birth in actually affects postnatal midwives though.)

By contrast C&W staff have been massively helpful and nice, I have never waited more than 20 min for appt, and the building is lovely, organised and clean. Saw one of the obstetricians there today and felt really reassured that I was receiving excellent care. They also try hard to give scan appointments and consultant appts on he same day if you need both, which my previous hospital didn't. I am being given three extra growth scans in this pregnancy -- C&W seems very well resourced.

Obviously this based on limited experience, but if both are equally convenient I would choose C&W!

I had my DD ato C&W and couldn't fault them - midwives were lovely and always happy to help (I was in for 5 days after the birth).

We no longer live in the area and next time I'll still self refer there - traveling to appointments etc will still be worth it as I had such a good experience there.

Yes the postnatal ward was noisy, but that's the same everywhere.