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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Royal Free or UCH?

26 replies

pecanpie · 01/01/2009 12:08

I am only 5 weeks pregnant but am seeing the doctor next week to get a referral to either Royal Free or UCH. I already have 1 DD and went to Royal Free because it was closest. Generally I was happy with RF, except that they lost all my paperwork, I was kept waiting for hours for the doctor's appointments in the hospital (consultant's team) and had one particularly unpleasant appointment with a registrar who stank to high heaven - doesn't really give me any confidence in the hospital's standards of hygeine! I know aftercare in all hospitals is terrible.

Here's the deal - I had a mmc a few weeks back and am anxious about this pregnancy. I want good antenatal care. I am also coeliac which for some unknown reason puts me in the high risk bracket meaning more hospital appointments with consultant led teams.

I am also terrified of actual childbirth - apart from the pain, I thought (irrationally) that DD was going to die during labour, not helped when things did start to get pressured and a million medical staff appeared in the room as they were worried about DD. They refused to give me the help of a ventouse when I needed it, despite the fact that they were pressuring me to get the baby out, which I couldn't do alone. This time, I want to be able to discuss the possibility of having a c-section with the hospital without being forced into any particular birth scenario.

What are your experiences with either hospital? Which has the best professional reputation? Do either have any particularly good consultants who work privately so that if I can't get an early scan on the NHS I could at least go to see someone relevant to my pregnancy for those sorts of appointments as extras?

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

sausagenmash · 01/01/2009 13:21

Hello pecanpie - I don't have much experience with the Royal Free, but I used to work at UCH and it has a good reputation. My friend is having her 2nd baby there and she is a consultant paediatrician! They are both world reknowned teaching hospitals. Am not sure about any consultants that work in the obstetrics area - but have you thought about the Portland? That's a lovely private hospital for women and children - they've got a good wesbite with lots of information. It's only down the road - literally - from UCH.

Sounds like you are north London - I'm south and am having baby number 1 at Kings - and I can't fault it at all - I keep hold of my own notes, no faffing about, blood results at 12 week scan within 15 minutes... might be a bit of a trek for you, but I had a friend who lives in Angel who got seen there...

Lots and lots of luck - and try and keep positive! Very hard to say, bearing in mind what you have gone through, but I do hope it goes well for you. Lots of luck and hugs x

spicemonster · 01/01/2009 13:24

Royal Free is dreadful. All my friends who have been to UCH say it's great and much nicer especially now new maternity wing is finished I believe

ps RF is good for other stuff, just not maternity

alma07 · 01/01/2009 13:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

themoon66 · 01/01/2009 13:52

Am i the only one who read the thread as 'Royal Free LUNCH?'

dinkystinky · 01/01/2009 16:38

Was at Royal Free for DS's birth 2 years ago - no way in hell would go back there again after my experience. Have had lots of other friends give birth there - most had fair to middling experiences, no one else seemed to have one as bad as mine, but 2 - under close consultant care - had great birth experiences there. Have had several friends give birth at UCH - they generally seem to have a more professional approach and run more tests - so may be the place for you.

Original poster

pecanpie · 01/01/2009 17:58

Thanks all for your advice - I was probably more inclined to try UCH after getting advice from a RL friend who works in the NHS, but as she's never had a baby I can't go on that advice alone.

Alma - it's good to hear that they are not talking you out of a cs.

Sausage - I've seen a consultant at the Portland re: mmc, but we can't afford to go fully private... But thanks for the advice.

OP posts:

MrsMattie · 01/01/2009 18:02

UCH.

I had my son at the Royal Free in 2005 and it was hellish. I wish I had pursued my complaints with them, because the more I think about it, the more I think they were dangerously negligent. Everything about my experience there was horrible, to be honest, but I won't bore you with the details!

I've just had my daughter (in Nov 08) at UCH and it was lovely. The new building is fab, too. The care was absolutely brilliant. And you have the added bonus of knowing that if anything does go awry, their Neo-natal unit is second to none.

sausagenmash · 01/01/2009 19:02

I second mrsmattie - also, UCH has the same paediatricians as Great Ormond St - they do a paediatric shared care thing - so you can't go wrong there! Don't blame you about the expense at the Portland - I looked into it, spluttered into my tea, and then thought again. To be honest, the only nice thing about private hospitals is more privacy, nicer surroundings and you get seen quicker - they tend to have the same consultants as the NHS ones too.

Good luck! x

becktay · 01/01/2009 19:36

UCH - so many friends had issues with royal free and it put me off!

scifinerd · 01/01/2009 19:41

UCH every time. Had all my dc there even before it became pretty. Heard dreadful stuff about royal free. UCH is known for bing good with difficult pregnancies.

purplemyrtle · 01/01/2009 21:04

Hi, posting again for reasons I won't bore you with! I'd second what lots of others have said, had an awful time having DS1 at RFH. Going to UCH this time as friends had better experiences there, so far have found consultants and midwives to be a million times nicer/more professional (although to be fair there are some good people at RFH). Might be worth asking for an early scan due to your anxiety? I've heard of them doing that. Waiting times not always great there either unfortunately. I'm thinking about planned cs due to history and not feeling pressured either way by them, definitely made to feel it's a decision I need to be happy with. Don't know anyone who had a good time at RFH, although I've heard rumours of straightforward births at the birth centre being OK ie very short stays, no complications, I'd agree with Mrs Mattie that I didn't feel either me or DS were safe at times, really encouraged to hear you had a good time at UCH!

Original poster

pecanpie · 01/01/2009 21:27

Ok - very compelling arguments for UCH - thank you so much all for sharing your experiences. Hopefully everything will go to plan this time round!

OP posts:

hellymelly · 01/01/2009 21:29

UCH UCH UCH.they are great,I have heard lots of negative stories of the royal free .UCH is a much better hospital.

hellymelly · 01/01/2009 21:37

Forgot to add,my consultant was the divine Mr Silverstone who is a lovely man,very human, very kind,very experienced.I have no idea if he works privately but the one time I saw another consultant he was excellent too.When there were possible problems woith my pregnancy I had the best care possible and was scanned by a european expert in his field.(all was fine).I would much rather be at UCH if anything went wrong than at the royal free ,and I was at the old EGA,not the flash new building.In fact I am mulling over a third baby and I am honestly put off by the fact I no longer live near UCH.Could elaborate further if you want,you can contact me.

Batitha · 02/01/2009 09:43

Just to balance things out a bit, I had a MMC which was later diagnosed as a partial mole in March 2008 - all dealt with at the Royal Free and they couldn't have been more helpful or kinder. I'm now 30 weeks PG and again so far have had great care at the Royal Free - I got loads of additional scans early on and have been under the care of a consultant so have had additional scans at 28 and 34 weeks.

Admittedly I haven't yet given birth there so my opinion may change, but I did just want to say that so far my experience there has been really great.

nina99 · 11/01/2009 19:28

I work within the maternity unit at the Royal Free and agree they have had problems in the past. However to add some balance to the discussion, the unit is now also undergoing major changes. Both units scored equally well and above the Whittington in the national Maternity services survey last year (see "here" & "here").
In the last 12 months we've had a new Head of Midwifery who was especially headhunted from Barts & London who is really turning things around. 4 new midwifery matrons and 5 additional new Consultants have also just joined. We also have a Consultant Midwife whose aim is to promote normal birth processes.
I'm not saying the unit does n't have faults but we know this and we are really trying to iron them out. It would be a real shame if parents excluded everything we are trying to do purely on the basis of past experiences.
We too have some really lovely and committed staff (midwives and Dr's) who are trying to trying to give mums and dads a better birth experience. Please consider going on a tour to both units and speak to the staff in person before you decide!

frogs · 11/01/2009 19:36

Mr Silverstone has quite a lively fanclub on MN! He is a truly lovely man, was one of the very few medical professionals who reacted appropriately and humanely when I was diagnosed with a horrid pregnancy complication.

My GP recommended him initially, on the basis that she'd both worked with him and had him deliver her babies. You don't get much more of a recommendation than that.

He does his private work out of the Portland, iirc.

MrsHappy · 11/01/2009 21:34

I haven't been to either to deliver but always hear a lot of good things about UCH.

I did recently have cause to use their EPAU and they were great. Two consultants did my scan and I could not fault my care. They were really really kind in a horrible situation. Plus, because the EGA has now moved into its new building it will be spotless.

Anabel83 · 11/03/2011 18:53

Does anyone know how long they keep u in UCH after a normal delivery? I've heard they ship u out after 6 hours and am very worried as I plan 2 have my baby there in April.

Firawla · 11/03/2011 19:48

Hi Annabel i think in reality it's not always gonna be 6 hours, depends what time of day you give birth anyway as they wont discharge you over night, and it depends how quick the doctors are in getting around as you do need to take your baby to see them, and have midwife come check you etc before you go so it definitely wont be a case of 6 hours is up so out you go, and chucking you out.
I've had 2 dc there (now 15 months and 2.9 yrs old so recentish but not extremelyy recent) and the first one i was in ages but there were complications. however when i was in there the other mothers did not seem to be leaving that quickly, although they had normal delivery some people still there for a couple of days, and one lady was admitted back to this other ward where i was with my ds because he had infection, it was mainly babies with very low birth weight, or need a bit of keeping an eye on but not serious enough to be in neonatal, i forgot the name of it and dont know if they have changed it now in the new building but it was another little ward off the side of the postnatal, and that one mother was admitted back in there with her dd simply due to that she was a very anxious mother and wanted the support. it was quite busy so i suppose they will need the beds back at some point but i dont get the impression they always kick you out straight away if you feel you are not quite right to go home.

with my 2nd i did go home pretty quick but it wasn't 6 hours i was there overnight and then went home the following late afternoon, so was there less than 24 hours but was 2nd baby so happy to go home quickly to my other one and also didnt have problems feeding etc as knew what i was doing from before. but if you feel you need help getting bf established or anything like that i think you can make sure you get the support and help from them before being sent home, so you dont feel you are going home not able to know what you are doing with feeding etc

good luck! and hopefully this issue should be fine i think

babyxmas2011 · 12/05/2011 20:44

Hi, I'm trying to choose between UCH and Royal Free but my GP says that if I choose UCH I won't get a midwife and will my care will be with my GP - am worried about this, but given all the reviews, would prefer UCH. Any advice would be welcome! Thank you!

sarahmia · 12/05/2011 22:29

That's just not true- I have been in UCH for all my pregnancies. And always been seen by a midwife in the hospital. UCH is the most fantastic hospital, I have been given some of the worst news of my life there (and done of the best ;)) and have always been treated with kindness and care. I love my consultant (mr pandya) who still sees me in the fmu even though thank g-d there Is nothing wrong with this baby... He seems as invested in this pregnancy as I am. Plus as has been said before their neo-natal care Is second to none. With regards to being kicked put 6 hours later, I was kept in for 36 hours, purely cos my waters had been broken for over 24 hrs before giving birth. I love love UCH and would never go anywhere else!
Plus it has a pretty new building. :)

clabsyqueen · 21/05/2011 18:27

I'm under the care of Dr Pandya at the moment for a high risk pregnancy and can say that all the team there have been wonderful so far. They have instilled confidence in me and been very kind. Not a bad word to say about UCH and I am fully expecting a traumatic time over the next few weeks.

Yaya70 · 21/05/2011 23:58

Another fan of the amazing Mr Pandya. I can't fault the care I've received at UCH during what has been a very difficult pregnancy at times.

Jules922 · 22/05/2011 16:33

Dr Pandya is a wonderful, wonderful man and there is no one else in the world I would trust with my bump!!!! He has done (almost) every scan I've ever had and did my CVS a few weeks ago. I see him at Portland, but UCH is the way to go between the 2 hospitals. My consultant at Portland said she wouldn't send her cat to have kittens at RFH. She did, seriously!

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