how to access private antenatal care?

[TwittleBee]

Hi all,

Without going into detail (I will do if it is required but I don't want to overload), how can I access private antenatal care? I am unsure what to Google, the Bupa (is that private?) just talks about NHS care (unless baby brain is seriously effecting me already).

I am aware I will need to pay for it, but after being failed by my local NHS Trusts I feel like I need to explore the option of going private (failing that I will have to relocate to a different area of the country I guess?!)

Thank you x

BUPA is both a private medical insurer and a private hospital provider.

The best thing to do is find out locally which obstetricians or midwives provide private care, if any. Ask around for recommendations. You can contact local private hospitals to find out if they require a referral from your GP, or whether they would accept a self referral. Before you start - find out the costs involved - consultations, ultra sounds, blood tests for the whole pregnancy, as some are repeated at about 7-8 months. You will be talking £100s of pounds minimum.
Do you want just private ante natal care or delivery and post natal as well ? If not, then you will need to book into a NHS maternity service so there will be some contact with them, which is all to the good, but may feel like a doubling up of time.
My only suggestion is to keep it local - there's no way you'll be up to travelling for hours at 8 months and keep your blood pressure low!

Thank you, i think i have managed to find one semi-local (london) and it will be £10k minimum for the consultant-led care I will require.

Tbh I just want to hide and cry forever, I feel in such despair

10k sounds more like a full ante, delivery and post natal package and yes it is that expensive. I know it's not perfect, but we have been sheltered from the true cost of health care by the NHS. Private maternity care is not easy to find outside of major cities (London, Birmingham, Manchester).

I get the impression you may need specialist maternity care (please forgive me if I'm assuming too much) - it might be worth a discussion with your GP / midwife about requesting a referral to a specialist maternity service. For example I know there are teams which specialise in caring for women with cardiac diagnoses. Also bear in mind that even if you go for full private care, any problems with either yourself or the baby will see you transferred to the nearest NHS hospital, so you may still end up where you don't want to be.
I get you're upset however it may be worth discussing your worries with your GP / midwife in fine detail to see if the situation can be sorted. My apologies if I'm taking a simplistic approach.

I appreciate you pointing out how my care is likely to just be referred back to the NHS anyway.

I guess I didn't want to overload on information but maybe I should have just included my history briefly. I have a history of miscarriages, missed miscarriage, premature births and I lost my son at 5 days old due to negligence.

Have you thought about hiring an independent midwife? Cost is about 3k including birth and post natal care.

You still engage with the NHS but you're hiring private antenatal care and your independent midwife is allowed to attend the birth as a birth partner and advocate on your behalf. they can usually do all of the blood tests and urine/blood pressure etc.

Have a Google of independent midwives in your area. If you're anywhere near Surrey, I can recommend someone.

Ah thank you, will she be able to ensure I can access the scans and consultant care I will need?

I am so sorry about your baby boy.

I think it is totally justifiable to request your maternity care at another hospital. Have you asked your GP about this? You may have to lay it on a bit thick due to local contracts but there will be wiggle room for special circumstances. I mean you will need to come across as absolutely certain you will never cross the threshold of the previous hospital ever again and how can your GP help you achieve that.

Yes, I asked another trust already but they said that they would not be able to offer the early scans and I should stick to my local trust

You can pay for extra scans and testing. It depends what exactly you want I suspect.

I'm very sorry to hear of your experiences and losses. Thinking of alternate NHS options, is there another local NHS Trust? With your history you'd benefit from having continuity of care (which is what all NHS trusts are having to offer) but you would also have a named Consultant.

If so, I think it may benefit you talking to a Consultant Midwife there early on and you can agree a plan going forwards.

Go direct to them, not via GP. With your history an early scan would be a good idea. We do them if women are unsure of their LMP...

Unless there's a problem with your GP, I really would go and have a discussion with them about possible options.

To be honest someone phoning up asking for care at another hospital, isn't going to get informed answers - you will need a GP / midwife referral

Okay. Thank you. I shall make an appointment at my GP. I'm nervous to do because everytime I jump down my neck about breastfeeding and asking why I haven't registered my son yet (I don't understand how they can be informed about his birth but not his death, even after 4 visits by me where they've got it so wrong...)

Most midwives would not take you as a private patient. Private midwives are few and far between and are only able to manage lower risk pregnancy and delivery. It feels like you are outside their remit.
Private obstetricians are also not readily available in most places. Most private hospitals don’t offer maternity care.
There are a few in London,The Portland, UCHL, Chelsea and Westminster and Lindo wing come to mind. Outside London it’s rare.

Despite having been let down, most NHS maternity units have good outcomes - often better than private care. I suspect you need to look at which maternity units are close to you and arrange to talk with the Head of Midwifery about your previous experience and concerns. Most would be very compassionate.
If you have a risk of preterm delivery, then you need to deliver where there is level three NICU. A private midwife couldn’t offer that.
Depending where you live, you can ask to be referred to a good unit with high scores on NNAP.
Unfortunately, many miscarriages can’t be prevented and some women have repeated loss for no discernible cause. It sounds like you need the care that offers reassurance that everything possible is being done.

Places outside of London that might be worth a look and consideration are East Surrey, Frimley Hospital, Kingston. In London, Royal Free maternity is good. Chelsea and Westminster is good and care will be virtually identical whether private or NHS. The difference is in the environment and choice of appointment times.
If you give an indication of the rough area you are from, it is easier to recommend specific services.

So I'm from north Essex. The trust I need to avoid is ESNEFT and I already tried West Suffolk

(Really appreciate this help btw)

I would avoid Princess Alexandra in Harlow and Barts NHS trust.

Is Southend too far? They do surprisingly well and offer a number of specialist clinics to support women with particular risks and needs.

Cambridge University Hospitals are definitely worth a consideration. They have good high level care in NICU and good maternity services.

Broomfield in Chelmsford has areas that aren’t perfect but maternity is good with sound leadership.

Really sorry to hear they haven't up-dating your records - that's appalling.

When you ring for the appointment, can you get the receptionist to check your records have been amended and if not ask to speak to the practice manager and tell them to sort it

I'm sorry you've through this OP. I went through a lot of negligence with the NHS I know where you're coming from. I'd recommend the Portland Hospital in London.

@TwittleBee I am independent MW and would be very willing to help you in any way I can You sound like you have had an unbelievably tough time, I am so sorry. Shall we discuss by PM?

Perhaps I should say that I am an unusual independent MW because I specialise in complex pregnancies where there is concern for the baby’s health/development or when the woman harps experienced previous losses.

Might be a bit of a trek, but this place www.carmenta-life.co.uk/medical/
In Berkhamsted can do all your antenatal stuff and if you want a private delivery they can organise that in London.
UCLH is brilliant for NHS care. I’m sure lots of people will come after and tell you about the importance of being close to your hospital. Most first babies (is it your first) don’t come that quickly, and if it’s not your first your 2nd is unlikely to be here fast if your first took 24 hrs. We lived near Berko and dipped in and out of the private antenatal services at Carmenta, but I got the train (whilst in labour) to UCLH and had outstanding care.

I'm sorry you have had such an awful time.

You either find an independent midwife (they are uncommon now due to insurance issues) or a private consultant (I understand these are rare outside London).

I have experience of both. I wanted to try for a low intervention home birth so engaged an independent midwife. I then developed complications and "interviewed" two consultants at the Westminster unit (the private wing at St Thomas'. I shortlisted those two from their web profiles and personal recommendations. I liked the second one so went with him. It was bloody expensive but I'm happy with my choice.

@shoebedobedobedobedoo
Read the thread. It’s quite clear you haven’t bothered to read it properly and in light of the OPs 3rd post on the thread your post is incredibly insensitive

I’m so sorry for your loss. I would definitely look seriously at The Rosie in Cambridge (part of Addenbrookes) - it’s a major university teaching hospital and they are very well-equipped for complicated pregnancies; they also accept out-of-area patients. And they have a NICU.

We have chosen to go there above Princess Alexandra in Harlow (I had a previous EMCS and found the birth traumatic, although my experiences don’t involve loss) and have been happy with the care so far. The facilities are a world away from Whipps Cross (Barts in London), where I gave birth the first time.

They have also been very good about giving me a free choice between ELCS and VBAC so I imagine that if you were considering an ELCS, you would have no problem having one. (Ignore if this isn’t relevant to you.)

If funds are finite, you may prefer to find a hospital which will work with you on the clinical side but pay for extra support, eg an independent midwife, a doula, counselling/other psychological therapy, reassurance scans in addition to those clinically indicated. This would be cheaper than a full private package.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution that works for you.