Can I change hospitals and how do I go doing so?

[Jzee]

I'm 18 weeks pregnant and for various reasons I'm not happy with my current hospital. The area feels unsafe and recently when I asked to have a look around the labour ward I was shouted at by one of the staff which was totally uncalled for. I been on tours of a few labour wards so didn't feel it was such an unusual request. Anyhow, I'd like to change hospitals and am not sure if I am within my rights to do so? Do I just ask my Gp to arrange it?

Yes you can change hospitals. Just ask your GP to refer you to the one of your choice.

I agree with Mears. I switched hospitals at about the same time as you.

hth

It does depend on where you live - where I am, you have to fight to switch out of the main hospital into one in a neighbouring area. Yes, it's supposedly your "right" to do so but that doesn't make it easy!

I've just looked up on the NCT web site about doing the same thing. Believe it or not you are entitled to change hospitals all the way through - even when you're in labour (good luck to anyone doing it then.). If your gp is like mine she will be reluctant so don't give her an option. I would investigate the others first (you don't need your gp to visit the labour wards etc) and there are surveys on the web with figures on nos of cesareans etc. Then when you've made your mind up simply inform your GP and behave as though she is going to go along with it. Remember that time is on your side and that you don't need to rush. Good luck.

Hi Jzee, I wanted to go to a different hospital for my last pregnancy and birth and asked my GP to refer me to the next nearest one in my area, which she did immediately.

You can, of course, simply turn up at the hospital of your choice in labour if you have any problems switching... This is what a friend was advised to do by her GP when the "powers that be" were being difficult about allowing her to switch.

I changed hospital in my last two pregnancies, once intentionally, which just involved discussing it with my GP and didn't present any problems, and once inintentionally which sounds biazarre but wasn't really! What happened was that I decided to go for a home birth and the home birth midwives for my area were based in a different hospital from the one I had originally planned to give birth in. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to give birth at home so went to the hospital my midwives were based in instead.