Going private for maturnity care

**Churchill** · 29 May 2007, 10:30

I'd spend a little more on your own education.

Maternity

I hope the poor little fecker doesn't inherit your brains.

**King Cnvt** · 29 May 2007, 10:32

Oh you are soooo clever Churchill. I bet you have sooo many friends who really care for you.

Anyone here more interested in discussion on topic or just picking up typos?

**NoddY** · 29 May 2007, 10:33

When I was a student I worked in a private hospital as a porter.

I can tell you that you'll be wasting your money.

**Bagpuss** · 29 May 2007, 10:33

Originally posted by King Cnvt

Is it worth risking the wife and unborn baby on the NHS

or should I pay for full maturnity care and delivery at a private specialist?

Any views?

Costs about £10,000 for the best care in specialist hospital

Why don't you post this on a nurses forum and see what response you get! This post deserves a gold medal at the inaugural SASguru pomposity awards.

**King Cnvt** · 29 May 2007, 10:34

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6691787.stm

Extra workers drafted in to help hard-pressed midwives could actually be putting mothers and babies at more risk, a report has claimed.
Maternity support staff are supposed to free up midwives' time by helping with paperwork and non-clinical duties.

However, Kings College London found some trusts in England try to use them to care for pregnant women, even though they are not sufficiently trained.

Experts stressed support staff should never replace midwives or doctors.

**Mailman** · 29 May 2007, 10:35

Why not a home birth? If your wife has had no complications then this might be your best bet aye.

Mailman

**King Cnvt** · 29 May 2007, 10:35

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6240375.stm

Maternity services are being pared back, putting the care of women at risk, midwives say.
Staff are being cut and training funds raided as the NHS racks up debts, the Royal College of Midwives reported.

A poll of 102 out of 216 department heads found two thirds thought their units were understaffed and one in five had lost staff in the last year.

The government said midwife staffing was set to increase and services were "safer than ever before".

**gingerjedi** · 29 May 2007, 10:39

My wife is 4 months pregnant so this does have some relevance to me, we paid for a 12 week scan at a BUPA maternity hospital as it was not available on the NHS in our area, we had the all clear with no problems so we are happy to use the NHS for the 20 week scan and take it from there, It depends if you're in a high risk situation or not.

**Troll** · 29 May 2007, 10:47

Thing to remember is that Private is usually OK if everything goes fine, but if complications set in that you need to find out if the private hospital could cope - several cases have dispatched problem births to the nearest NHS hospital - which would mean a delay to treatment.

On the whole I think private is a waste of dosh, just be aware to monitor progress and don't be afraid to forecably request a ceasarian if things aren't going to plan .... oh and get the epidural shunt in early

Going private for maturnity care