Private vs NHS

[MrsAbc99]

I have just found out that my OH has medical insurance which covers me for full maternity privately. I just was wondering what people would do in my position? I can go privately for free or with the NHS, which would you choose. I'm not sure private has any huge benefits over NHS but friends say that I should go for it if it's free. I realise I'm very lucky but still unsure of what to do. I'd probably go to the Portland if I chose private.

Any opinions or experiences?

I'd go private unless there's anything high risk that you might have that the private hospital might not be able to deal with. IME, going private usually means more consideration of your wishes and nicer surroundings.

I'd always go NHS - God forbid if something goes wrong then you have the specialist staff and equipment of an entire hospital on hand to help you and your baby. Sure you can be transferred by ambulance to the nearest NHS hospital if you needed it, but I don't think I'd want to take that risk. Not sure if some NHS hospitals also do private maternity services in the same way that NHS hospitals often have private wards attached? Might be worth investigating - that way you could have the best of both worlds. At the very least maybe the maternity cover would pay for a private room within an NHS hospital if you had to stay in after the birth for any reason.
Good luck!

I would go for private by in an NHS hospital, you get all the benefits of private, such as care from one consultant, private room after giving birth, lower ratio of midwife to patient care etc but have the back up of the NHS should you or your baby need it. I know that both St Mary's and also the Queen Charlotte all have private wings.

Good luck

I agree with helenlouisey. That's what I'm planning

I would go private. I've got no problem with NHS hospitals as such as I am sure many are great but I am a strong believer that this totally depends on what hospital you 'belong' to. I belong to a hospital which I really do not like. I do not have any experience of their maternity ward (it might be excellent) but DH was admitted there once with a broken foot and it was a horrible experience. We are moving abroad before the birth so I get my wish and will go private there.

So if you can go private at a good NHS hospital then that sounds like a great option.

Good Luck.

I have the same option and have chosed to go private at The Portland. I love the fact that I will have the same consultant I've known for years throughout the process (who works in a tight knit unit of 4 so there are 3 others to cover if for any reason yours can't be there) for all my scans, appointments, 24 hour phone support, birth and follow up. You get a one on one session with a paediatrician, breast feeding expert etc following the birth, while you are in hospital. There is no discharging you before you are ready because they need the space (not suprising since at Portland you are paying ££££s for the room!), you will have a private ensuite room throughout labour and afterwards etc. The midwife to patient ratio is also at The Portland is 1:1 thoughout labour. They also have a special care baby unit and neonatal intensive care unit god forbid it is needed. I'm sold

Hope all goes well wherever you choose to have your baby.

I went private at St Mary's - which is where Portland patients are taken if there is a problem. It is less glamorous than the Portland (shabbier! No goodie bags, robes etc)) but I found the care, both ante and postnatal, excellent. I am now pregnant again and have scraped the money together to repeat the experience. What you actually get if you go private is lots of one to one, more scans, more 'time' if you know what I mean. I think postnatal experiences on the NHS can be quite poor...If you go private, there's no worrying about lack of midwives or attention.

I used to be very anti-private as am a great believer in the NHS.......However after various experiences, if I could afford it, would go private everytime.

Go private but in an NHS hospital (St Mary's, Chelsea & Westminster,and maybe others offer this option)

Am in same situation as you and decided to stay clear of Portland as if anything went badly wrong they'd be transferring me or baby to NHS - and even with stablising etc I am a doctor's daughter and know that even 30 minutes in an ambulance can make a key difference
Then DH decided not to claim for private care but pay it himself he has some strange theory about not overclaiming on our health insurance but it's the best £10K I have ever spent. We have seen the delivery rooms, met the midwives and it's all completely civilised.

Yes, Portland / St John & Elizabeth look nice and sell you cashmere baby-grows (useless as handwash only- go for merino) but it's more like a hotel. And at these rates I'd prefer a suite at the Dorchester.

C&W have a brand new private maternity wing with more space than old one and all ensuite with the neonatal intensive care level 3 centre just down the corridor plus all the things you may need if God forbid something were to happen to you. Don't know it myself but would imagine Lindo wing at St Mary's is the same and it's also a level 3 (highest, that's where your baby would be sent after stablising for longer term care if needed from other NHS hospitals)

Also unlike St Mary's (I think) C&W will treat your baby as NHS if needed i.e. if you need 2 months high dependency unit you don't need to worry if the insurer will pay up / ask you to transfer to another hospital.

St Mary's will also treat your baby as an NHS patient the moment they are born. However, the Lindo wing is being closed for nearly a year and I believe that if you are due to deliver post Oct 2010 they won't be able to take you. Since John's and Lizzie's is also closing at the end of this month you are left with The Portland, C&W and the Landsell at St Thomas's as far as central London private maternity goes. (I think - someone please correct me if I'm wrong!)

I keep hearing great things about the newly refurb'd UCH and the Whittington too - both NHS, and I have friends who delivered there only recently and raved about it. Some of the newer NHS places trump private hospitals IMO - but it really depends if you are in their catchment area.

Portland is nice, I had an op there a few years ago after an mc and the staff were wonderful. Chose the Lindo to deliver this time round because I wanted a particular consultant who doesn't work at Portland, and I have to say I am really impressed. Was also swayed by the fact that it is an NHS teaching hospital as well with great neo natal unit if baby needs anything extra.

Lucky you having it covered by insurance!!

Thanks for all the comments and info. It sounds like most would go for private. I've made an appointment to see a consultant who works at the Portland, but I am now thinking I should go for NHS with private wing - it makes sense! As I have appointment already, I will see how it goes and I still have options on where to give birth.

I am lucky to have insurance but I do think we are lucky to have the NHS. I have never had any probs with NHS treatment. This is my 1st pregnancy so I am just nervous and just want to do the right thing!