go private as planned or stick with NHS?

[Bells3032]

We had always planned to go privately from 32 weeks and for delivery (money is not an issue as we put money aside for it). Main reasons being the additional care, private rooms esp with Covid and because I have muscular issues that could be a concern (they will either make my labour super easy or make me dislocate stuff). I am due in January and very worried about the hospital being understaffed due to Covid issues.

However, everything has turned around in the last week. I was hospitalised last week having developed severe gestational (and poss permanent type 2 diabetes). A scan this morning also revealed baby has a hole in the heart too though they hope that may heal up but there's a 10-20% chance she will need additional check ups and possibly surgery. The NHS hospital we are currently at is linked to Great Ormond Street Hospital so if she needs referral after birth then she would be under the best care. Whereas if we went private she would still be under an excellent hospital but not Great Ormond Street.

I am worried Private will result in a lack of continuous care and that i may need further hospitalisations which could stack up bills (we aren't short but we aren't millionaires or anything). But I am also worried about things being missed on the NHS (it seems they already missed a chance to pick up the diabetes two weeks before which may have prevented the hospitalisation).

I am completely torn. I was so set on private but i don't know what to do now. any advice?

NHS definitely. They will have NICU and be able to support you both in an emergency which the private hospital won’t.

Yes definitely NHS! GOSH are amazing

Agree with the above. From what I understand, private is fantastic if you have an uncomplicated birth, but if anything was to go wrong they're not as well equipped to deal as NHS hospitals and chances are you'd end up in an NHS hospital anyway, but under much more stressful circumstances in the back of an ambulance.

NHS definitely in the circumstances.
Private isn’t best for baby in this instance (probably nicer for you but the medical needs now trump this).
Good luck!

Yes to NHS . You will need continuous care for both of you. It will get very expensive very quickly.

Thanks for all the replies. Just to clarify the private hospital is Queen Charlotte and linked to Hammersmith with has one of the best NICUs in the country and actually a better NICU than they have at the NHS hospital I am currently registered at. But I am not sure how it all works

My advice would be to talk to the private hospital you're intending to go to, and put various questions/scenarios to them. If this happens, what will you do? Type things. And then ask how much those things would cost.

If you're assured that they're able to give you and baby the care you'll need in any eventuality, and that it won't bankrupt you, go for it.

Private,in a heartbeat.

@Bells3032

Thanks for all the replies. Just to clarify the private hospital is Queen Charlotte and linked to Hammersmith with has one of the best NICUs in the country and actually a better NICU than they have at the NHS hospital I am currently registered at. But I am not sure how it all works

Ultimately I would imagine the private hospital will recommend against delivering your baby if there are valid concerns. However, in one of my high risk labours I had a consultant (full theatre team), midwife and neonatologist in theatre with me. What care will you be ensuring your baby has for delivery because going private isn’t just about it being a nicer experience for you?

I would also look at the private provision and whether you pay for the package as a one off or if you have to pay per night as some places are per night and if you are in for a while you can quickly rack up a huge bill while the care is exactly what you’d be getting on the nhs from a NICU and children’s hospital perspective.

GOSH is pretty much the best hospital in the country for paediatric care, so if your baby needs paediatric/neonatal care, that's probably the best place to be. What you could do if you're undecided is speak with the teams in both sites about their management plans for your delivery and for baby, how they would manage any complications, etc and see how you feel about their answers.

You say you’re not short of money but I think you’re underestimating the costs that would be involved with intrapartum and postpartum care for yourself and especially the costs for your baby. I’m wondering why you only chose to go private at 32 weeks if money is really not an issue?

Like PPs I advocate NHS care in these situations. In my experience if you’re a low risk pregnancy then private works well, but not for complicated cases, which is usually when people jump ship and go back to the NHS. Your pregnancy and the neonatal period for you and the baby sounds like it may need to be very involved, and costs will stack up very quickly. That’s one stress you could do without. Good luck with the rest of the pregnancy and I hope you’re safe and well whichever route you go down.

@Scirocco

GOSH is pretty much the best hospital in the country for paediatric care, so if your baby needs paediatric/neonatal care, that's probably the best place to be. What you could do if you're undecided is speak with the teams in both sites about their management plans for your delivery and for baby, how they would manage any complications, etc and see how you feel about their answers.

I completely agree with @Scirocco. My DC is under GOSH and on some visits I’m almost moved to tears by the kindness and expertise they have shown my DC and me.

NHS no question. You very rarely get better clinical care when you go private, especially for complex things. The experience maybe more pleasant, but care is rarely better. Remember the doctors are often the same.

Treatment for pediatric heart issues will be the best on the NHS

If you are (considering) having your baby in the private wing of a NHS hospital (eg not The Portland, which is entirely private), I would suggest that you reconfirm with the hospital what the protocol would be in the event that baby does need the NICU and specialised treatment. I had mine at the Kensington Wing at Chelsea Westminster, and they were very clear that baby and or I would be transferred to the NHS side of things if extra support was needed.

This is the language on the Kensington Wing’s site for context on the baby, but again I’d suggest you confirm with your hospital to be certain and decide from there:

“ If your baby requires transfer to the neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or is receiving intervention under the instruction of the Neonatal Team on Kensington Wing this element is provided by the NHS and therefore without charge to the patient or their insurer. The patient must be entitled to NHS services (which automatically extents to their baby).”

I hope it all goes well for you and your baby x