Have a list of private consultants at the Chelsea and Westminster - does anyone know them?

[Gnome1973]

Keith Duncan
Nick Wales
Mark Johnson
ROger Marwood
Gubby Ayida
Guy Thorpe-Beeston

Thanks!

Keith Duncan looked after a fried of mine - she rated him very highly

Zoe Penn is my OB, she's lovely - very down to earth, calm, human, and a great communicator. Her 'partner' in practice is Mark Johnson, and I know he's lovely too - all the midwives like him, and that says a lot!

I had one with dd who is not on your list, that I didn't get on with...but won't go into that, since you've left him out anyway

ps Keith Duncan does my scans - he's very nice (if tired, he has a new baby!), but probably bit less experienced than Zoe or Mark. Wouldn't matter, but for me I have added health issues so I'm happier with the older ones.

I trained with Mark Johnson and was a few years behind Nick Wales. Both very nice guys and have heard good things about them since. Guy Thorpe-Beeston was a lecturer back then and was also very good so I think you have a good choice there .

For DD, I was midwife-led at the Kensington Wing (the private wing of the Chelsea & Westminster). The midwives were pretty clear that Zoe Penn was their obstetrician of choice. She looked after me briefly when there was a potential problem and was excellent and caring. I liked her alot.

I found Guy Thorpe-Beeston to be excellent. I had two previous miscarriages and was a nervous wreck on my third pregnancy. Thanks to Mr GTB I gave birth on 22nd April 2007 to a lovely baby girl. He reassured me throughout the early days of my pregnancy and did my early scans even though I saw him under the NHS. What a star! He was so communicative and down to earth - would thoroughly recommend him.

I have just recently found out that I am 12 weeks pregnant and have managed to convince my other half to allow me to go privately at the Chelsea and Westminster. I have almost secured Nick Wales as my consultant, in fact Nick Wales is the only obstetrician who is able to offer me a place since. Can anybody give me any advice or views on Nick Wales? I am also considering the mid-wife led care scheme, any thoughts/views on this would also be gratefully received?

THe midwife unit won't take you if you're over 37 which is in my opinion, a bit silly.

I'm with Mr Roger Marwood who is fantastic.

I had midwifery-led care at the C&W. In short next time I will go back to the C&W but have a consultant.
Longer story: unless everything goes 100% to plan you will be reliant on them calling the staff from the NHS side. I delivered at night and although I was the only person giving birth I was extremely quick and the two MWs were slightly panicky. They are very obstetrician-led there rather than being a MW-led unit - half-way through they called the registrar from the NHS side to me (she was obviously hassled) to discuss whether I needed a drip administered (I was being induced and constantly monitored and I had to convince her to give me 2hrs off the monitor before I had the drip - baby was born in just over 2hrs from this point...). The MWs were also very keen for me to have an epidural (much easier to have painfree compliant woman lying on bed than red faced screetching banshee wailing about natural birth). (I didn't though!)
I had some small internal tears and was stitched by an SHO who moaned a bit - haven't had any problems though. It was cheap - as I has early waters breaking dd had antibiotics so we were in two days (quite nice actually!) and was still only about £5K.
The day MWs were incredible and if I'd been lucky enough to deliver in the day think I may have told you a different story. They are fantastic in the day for bf help etc.
I know two people who've been with Nick Wales - one for two babies which should tell you something. He is definitely on my list for number 2 (just forward planning at the moment!)

I recently had my second with Roger Marwood. He's fab - a really safe pair of hands and highly recommended by my doctor.

Hi I am booked with Keith Duncan. Could anyone give more info about their experience with him? I want a natural birth and I don;t want a consultant that will pressure me into a c-section.

Thanks.

a friend of mine adores mark johnson - he ahs seen her through 2 pregnancies since a loss at 26 weeks first time around. she wouldn't see anyone else now

Hi ladies. Anyone had delivered with Keith Duncan. I just moved here from new york and expecting on May 6,2008. Registered with Chelsea and Westminster, with NHS right now, but am very very perplexed with them and feel like they are not thorough enough... the whole mid-wife thing scares me - should it??? In any case, decided to look into private, but Keith Duncan is the only bed available at that time... Heard he is a bit young and not attentive - any advice??? Also, am i better off going with teaching hospital (like CW), although i heard they are more expensive than other hospitals... Is that right?

Hi sorry I feel like I keep repeating myself bu t there are so many threads on this topic. I had private midwifery care at the C&W but Keith Duncan stepped in when I needed a scan and diagnosis whether I needed to be induced. I thought he was absolutely fine, perfectly pleasant and he popped round to see me the next day after I had given birth even though I wasn't a patient of his, so I think he is obviously interested/caring etc. He is not the oldest consultant true, but he is head of the unit. If between that and slogging it out on the NHs there would be absolutely no question for me. I think it is only the major teaching hospitals (QCH, Thomas's, C&W etc) that have private wards and I think this is probably cheaper than somewhere like the Portland. My hospital bill was very reasonable indeed.

Also if his is the last space I would get on and book it or blink and it will be gone! If you are from the US other American friends I have with the means have gone for consultant-led care as that is what they are comfortable and familiar with and that's what matters!

Thanks for that. It's expensive, of course, but I just worry that if anything goes wrong (god forbid), I want to know who will be handling me. Feeling a little guilty, as all local friends and in-laws (husband is English), think I'm craving some first class treatment and an unnecessary expense, yet all my foreign friends and my family in US say I should go privately absolutely... A friend gave birth at St. Vincent (by London bridge) and paid around 4K for private midwife led care (about a year ago), my bill will be around 10K. Is that about right?

sounds about right. I have a friend with a similar due date and she is going to C&W with a consultant given horrid experience last time on NHS at St Mary's. She mentioned yesterday they are upgrading the unit around May from 6 to 18 beds so you may want to check with the doctor what the arrangements are around your due date? I wouldn't hesitate if you can afford it - please don't feel guilty. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect first class care anyway to be honest.

ROger Marwood did my myomectomy in (2006) which he removed some fibroids at King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes (London) he is a very good and a very nice man. Nice to talk to did a rather good job getting me to understand the procedure i was going through. he certainly did a good job. got pregnant exactly a year after the procedure. I am now expecting my first child.

Thanks SazzaK, feel a lot better now!

Roger Marwood saved my life!
I rate him (clearly!)

Any recent experiences and thoughts welcome! Thanks.

I'm with Roger Marwood. He's a bit gruff, but all that experience makes him reassuring (his secretary btw is lovely and very helpful with more general queries). I was told around 10k for consultant led at C&W (less if uncomplicated nat delivery) and possibly more for a c-section. As noted above I received letter saying C&W are upgrading the Kensington wing this summer with promise there will be no inconvenience to patients.

I have several friends who rave about Mark Johnson.

Sorry, should clarify for anyone looking into costs for private birth at C&W - 10k includes consultant fees (which are typically about 5k) with hospital charges, scans, blood tests etc comprising rest.

£10k?!