Changing hospitals

[roundabout1]

Where I live we border 2 health authorities, & have the choice of 2 hospitals both 15 miles away, one in each authority. I have chosen the smaller hospital as it's quicker to get to, better journey & a lovely hospital. Have now found out that I have an anti bodies problem & am thinking that the smaller hospital won't have the facilities & I will be referred to one further away in that authority. My other choice is a much bigger hospital & I would imagine have much better facilities. I am 2o weeks now, does anyone know how easy it would be to get referred to the other hospital? Excuse the long waffly post - blame pregnancy brain!

You can change whenever you want.

When I had dd I had her at a great hospital that is 30 mins away. This time I am having dc2 in our local hospital because its easier for us with dd.

With dd I changed when I was 36 weeks pg! The midwives moaned a bit because of the extra paperwork but tough!

Do what you feel happy with, its your choice

Thanks Mama - I'll have a chat with my mw next week. At least I know it is a possibility now.

Hi,

Yes I agree it should be easy to change. I have recently changed myself and was able to fill in a self referral form on the hospital website, was really easy.

Recommend you double check smaller hospital can deal with you fine first as it sounds lke you are happy with it.

Good Luck,

I moved 300 miles away when I was 35 weeks. It was fine

I changed a few weeks ago.I asked my midwife and she said I had to see my GP who just filled out a for.Really easy.

During my last pregnancy I moved Health Trusts about a month before having my DS, as I moved into a different trust area. Obviously in my situation it was a matter of changing GP too, but similar issues apply.

I had some inconvieniences with data transfers, as my old health trust printed everything and put it in my notes, when my new one had everything on computers, so there was an initial confusion because they thought I hadn't had any blood tests. There were also differences in protocol between the two at the time, so just make sure that they explain how things are done, as it varies considerably wherever you go! (My first health trust were real hypochondriacs about my Epilepsy, while the second one was far more sensible. Still, the second one ended up not letting me come into the hospital when labour started, although I had been told that I should at the first. I'm now pregnant again and when I told my midwife that, she was stunned that they'd sent me home, as I needed consultant care. since you are changing because you have greater needs, make sure you really push to get all the help you need, as sometimes big hospitals will forget you unless you make some noise. I've learned that for this time around, and it's worth bearing in mind if you know you're going to need a more in-depth service than women with a non-complicated pregnancy and delivery. And don't forget that you can push for a tour of the maternity unit even if you transfer past the time they normally do that - it's your right to know where you plan on having your baby. don't do what i did and leave it, I was so confused giving birth that I woke up the next morning and half wondered where I was!)