Private hospitals

[Tia]

I would really like to go to a private hospital for my caesarian (needed because of previous surgery). Does anybody have any recommendations? We live just outside SW london.

Tia, there are a few other threads that discuss this...I was going to go to the portland but when i finally visited thought it was pretty depressing and ancient. I've heard GREAT things about St.JOhn and Elizabeth.

Why would you want to go private? Invariably the obstetricians are the same ones who are operating in the NHS.

I'd endorse St John and St Elizabeth as a good private choice if you want to go that way. I would ask your consultant about options more locally, though Tia, and he/she might be able to give you some pointers. Is it the state of the NHS wards etc that is inclining you that way, do you mind my asking, or the choice of NHS hospitals locally, or the way your pregnancy is being handled this time?
I ask because I had an elective last time which went badly wrong afterwards, but I would still place my faith in the 3* NHS hospital where it happened, rather than in the local private place, which has an indifferent reputation. You can have amenity rooms in almost every NHS hospital these days, if privacy is important to you, and if you had a very hard time last time, an understanding consultant should be able to press for you to have an amenity room gratis.
I think SueW's post has summed up for me the advantages of at least staying on NHS premises.

I had an elective caesarian with ds at Kingston Hospital (NHS). I had excellent care and was given a private room, although I don't know if this was because I had high blood pressure or not. A lot of the care though I think is down to whoever happens to be on duty. The surgeon & anaesthetist were great, the nurses more variable.

St Mary's Lindaugh (sp?) wing is a private wing in an NHS hospital - so you have the best NHS facilities, special care etc but get red carpet treatment. It's not luxy but you have a reasonable private room with bath and you probably get a bit more attention and you're not on a ward. Lady Di had her babes here - costs about £5k i think.

I think the option of a private bed in a large teaching hospital is the safest option..all the colour tv's in the world & a la carte menus won't reduce the possible risks of childbirth

I agree with Bundle. Dd was born in Addenbrookes' and needed to go straight into Nicu. We were allocated a private room anyway but they were available to book as well. The food was still stinky but dd's care (and mine) was first-rate, and the wards were v. clean. HTH

Have to agree wholeheartedly with others who suggest an amenity room in an NHS hospital. The bottom line is, Dr's at an NHS hospital perform caesareans every day, a few times a day - those at private hospitals may have just as much experience (or more, or less), but MAY not be as used to doing them as frequently since entering private practice.
I know of a few consultants who offer private care, but IMO don't perform their caesareans with the same ease and rapidity as those very used to them. That is not to say their care is substandard or dangerous - not at all - but it is in no way superior to that offered within the NHS. I stand to be shot down in flames, but this really is my honest belief.

glad you said it, leese, I had an emergency c-section at the Whittington and both surgeon and anaesthetist (both Egyptian, I think, by some fluke!) were speedy but very skilled and kept me well informed. they carried out my op ahead of someone else who was just being wheeled down for an elective c-section and although I was a bit scared at having an op sprung on me at short notice, I felt confident in their abilities. I know not everyone has access to a large hospital, but for me it was what I wanted.

Have to agree with the advocates of NHS hospitals. Our local hospital is a grim, depressing Victorian one just about to be rebuilt but when I had my ds there 4 years ago, it was the only one in the UK with a charter mark for excellence in maternity provision. The food was awful but the midwives were absolutely fantastic. Luckily I had a straightforward normal delivery, but I would have had every confidence in the dept had I required anything more complicated. I don't want to scaremonger, but it was in one of the London private hospitals (the Portland?) that a woman died after giving birth to twins because she wasn't given the proper aftercare and supervision. I think it very unlikely that that would happen in an NHS hospital.
I agree absolutely with bundle that although creature comforts are attractive (and I did opt for a private room) it's only for a few days and the vital thing is that the medical staff know what they're doing, which is more likely in the NHS. It's like private schools, people assume they're always superior to state ones but you don't even need a PGCE to teach in one. I'll go before I rant...!

Thanks for all the advice. I do agree with you about care being better in an NHS hospital, it is just that my next door neighbour had her baby in the hospital that I am currently booked into, and said that she saw cockroaches in the ward! I could do that for 24 hours, but not for 5 days!. Maybe I should rather look for another NHS hospital.

Fionn- yes it was the Portland who had 1 person die after an emergency c-section but also St Peter's in Chertsey (NHS) had a man lose his first wife in labour and his second wife and baby IN THE SAME HOSPITAL... how amazingly unlucky can you be ????

One of my friends had her baby at the Portland's 4 months ago - from what she told me the breastfeeding support was a joke (long story but at the end of the day they forced her to botttle feed - her baby who was not willing to bf - or else and never suggested expressing)! She is now bottle feeding....

Pupuce - although the care during and immediately after the birth was great for me, the breastfeeding support was also very bad. Three different midwives came to see me within hours of the birth when I was having trouble breastfeeding and all quickly showed me 3 different positions which confused me even more. I know our local NCT coordinator is trying to get breastfeeding counsellors into the hospital to visit all new mothers who would like the help, which is a great idea.
Did you read my reply to you on the mixed feeding thread by the way?

I was at West Mid and it does have a good reputation locally for the maternity dept if nothing else. They also have a very proactive home birth attitude (and the staff to go with it), and I had my second at home at their suggestion. I have nothing but the highest praise for all the midwives I came across for both my pregnancies and births.

Sorry to say Fionn, but I had my ds in an NHS hospital (St. Mary's) and had the most abysmal ante-natal care which was only surpassed by the even more abysmal after care I received after my emergency c-section. I was checked only every 4+ hours afterwards, not the every 15min they are supposed to do (and the reason cited for the woman dying at the portland). They weren't particularly encouraging about the bfing, and if there weren't cockroaches it was only because the place was too filthy for them. The blood that I dripped on the loo floor on day 1 was still there 3 days later when I finally checked myself out in disgust. Having said that, I was not impressed by the Portland and this time am having my dd at Queen Charlottes. The midwives I met were wonderful and the place is newly renovated, cheerful and clean. I am hoping for a VBAC and they were very helpful and supportive. I don't think there is a hospital on this earth that has good food. I once spent four days in hospital in the us in one of the best ones in los angeles and the food was inedible there too.

Yes I did Fionn and replied last night

Sorry Pupuce, I checked it just before you posted then forgot to check again - thanks!