Can you change hospitals?

[redbear]

I know its early to be thinking about this but a lass i went to school with has been induced and when it got to 8.00pm they said her mum and boyfriend had to go home and comeback during active labour and she has said on facebook she is having a crap stressful time and didn't want to be alone.... she got loads on comments saying how other mums had found the hospital crap when they gave birth and won't go back,
There was an article in the local paper which is seriously scaring me
http://www.dewsburyreporter.co.uk/n...deaths_trigger_health_investigation_1_3651944

Do you think i should move hospitals now early on and how do i do that? xx

 

[pinkyprincess]

Im not 100% sure. We were told that we had no choice but to go our hospital but someone on here has since said that you have a right to choose. Maybe ring your midwife?

 

[NinjaKitty]

I believe you have a right to choose the hospital you have your baby. I think you need to speak to your usual MW to sort it out.

 

[redbear]

Yeh i think ill have a word because i don't want hubby sending hone when im in labour its scary as it is!
x

 

[Lilelephant]

I am the same Hun at our hospital u can get a private room where OH can stay but u have to pay 35 quid for it! But I am doing it cos I would be scared on my own x

 

[Niknak]

I think you do have the right to chose however it could be quite difficult - we have just moved house so we are in a different catchment/hospital area, I was 17 weeks when we moved and my midwife suggested that we stay with the hospital I was originally with until after my 20 week scan as otherwise I may get lost in the system, we didn't move too far so it was easy enough to go back to the original hospital for my scan. She also mentioned that if I changed before my 20 wk scan then I would have to re-book completely with the new midwife but I guess if you are just changing hospital and not midwife then you wouldnt have to do this. From what she said it is easier to change hospitals within a primary care group (sorry not sure of actual names) for example in my case I was with the Royal Surrey hospital -they have 3 other hospitals in their trust (I think) so from what I was lead to believe it would be easiest to transfer to one of those, however Frimley Park, which is near where we have moved to is not in their trust so it would have been more complicated to transfer to them if we weren't moving... I hope that makes sense, bit of a ramble!
On another note I am afraid that wherever you decide to have your baby there will always be someone who has had a bad experience that is 'totally the hospitals fault' this is the case with most things - not everyone will have something good to say! Maybe you should take everything with a pinch of salt and have an honest and frank chat with your midwife who may be able to tell you what your options are, she may also be able to put your mind at rest. It's also worth remembering that a story in a paper is only one side of the story I am not saying that what you are suggesting is wrong but if this hospital is the closest then would you be putting yourself and your baby at more risk by travelling further? Sorry to go on - just trying to play both sides!! Good luck, would be very interesting to hear what your midwife has to say x

 

[redbear]

I would be willing to pay i just hate been alone especially when i feel vunrable- I wasn't actually scared off by the newspaper article because there are mistakes everywhere but now its niggling at me with so many people saying how bad it is - Maybe ill talk to my mum aswell because if they try to make her leave when i want her there she is the type of person who would sit in the hallway untill they let her back in! Im going to ask the midwife what she thinks and explain that its my first baby and i don't want to be alone in any stage of labour - Even if it means he sleeps in a chair or sits on the floor - Ive had bad experiences with the hospital before they have just lost my sister in the system when she has been waiting three months for an appointment about her back, and the other hospital isn't much further from where we live and its new and massive but parking is terrible! Im very confused!!

 

[lesleyann23]

Omg I grew up near dewsbury I'm so glad I moved to huddersfield. You should have the right to choose and if you want birth centre I would recommend huddersfield.

 

[Laura_C]

Of course you have a right to choose which hospital you have your baby, if a midwife tells you otherwise she is wrong. I can't believe some people are told these things! I am actually looking at changing hospitals for my delivery as I jar found the care at my local hospital to be inadequate and it concerns me as I had complications during my last pregnancy when I was under their care. We lost our baby and I honestly feel it was partly due to their dismissive nature of my genuine concerns, they even examined me and monitored baby and still missed that he was distressed and his heart was struggling. They misdiagnosed me and sent me home. I've decided to cut the crap and request to have my baby at the best womens hospital in the area now - they were the only ones who had enough knowledge of my sons condition to treat him - I was sent to another hospital which was great but they consulted the best hospital in the area on all his care. They believed if I was listened to sooner and he was delivered even a week earlier he could still be here today. Where the care of yourself and baby is concerned you definitely have to go with where you feel most comfortable. Patient choice is huge on the government agenda, I used to work in this field so I know the government are pushing for this. X

 

[Toni_Win]

I'm in the same area as you and feel exactly the same about DDH. It's where I've met my consultant and had my scans so far, but I'm far from convinced that it's where I want to have my baby. If my LO had been due at a different time of year I would be going to Calderdale Royal Infirmary in Halifax without a second thought. It's the best hospital in our area. But as the baby is due on the 4th of January I'm worried about the weather and travelling in snow. So I'm really struggling with the decision.

If you are happy to travel further to a different hospital then you have the choice to do that, whether you live in the PCT area or not. The only complication is that you will have to discuss it with your GP/midwife and get re-referred to a different hospital. If you look on the NHS Choices website that explains that you have the right to choose any hospital, so if your midwife tries to tell you otherwise I'd take a print out of the information from there with you.

When I had my booking in appointment I said at that point that I wasn't sure which hospital I wanted to have the baby at. To which the midwife and link worker both said that they had just assumed I'd be going to Dewsbury and had already done the paperwork for DDH. If I wanted to go to Halifax I would need to be booked in by someone from Halifax. So at that point I felt a little bit bullied into choosing Dewsbury. We compromised and said that they would book me into Dewsbury for now and to have my scans there and to go on a visit and see how I felt, then I could change later if I wanted to. Now I've found out that Dewsbury no longer let you visit the maternity ward they're going to have a vitrual tour online, but that still isn't available. So I'm still feeling very unsure about things with Dewsbury.

Coincidentally we've decided to try Hypnobirthing to help keep me relaxed during the labour. The woman taking the class is actually a midwife who works part time at Dewsbury hospital, so when we start our classes I'm going to talk to her about my concerns, then make a decision. I have already emailed Halifax hospital and they have told me that if I do want to change to them I just need to sort it out through my GP/Midwife.

When are you due redbear? I can keep you informed about what we decide to do and how things go for us.

 

[redbear]

Hi im due 19th January ive also got my scans at dewsbury and i hated the building (i know that sounds stupid) it looked grotty - but inside the room with the scans it was nice - but if they don't let me look around i will be very upset as even if i was happy with Dewsbury i would want a look and see what its like - i want a water birth aswell so wanted to see the facility's for that..... I think that im already worried as it is without not knowing what the place is like - maybe if i bring up the article in the reporter my midwife may arrange something i dont know - I was thinking we would go to Wakefield if we didn't go to dewsbury as its almost as close to where we are at the minute but again if the weather is bad i dunno :S xx

 

[Toni_Win]

I know what you mean about the building. When we went for our first scan it all looked OK inside. Then when we went for the 20 week scan last week they seemed to be using the main corridor to the womans outpatient unit as a storage facility. There were boxes piled up, wheelchairs left there and tollies lying around. Really brought our impressions down. I'm going to see what the midwives say in the next couple of appointments and then make a decision. I'll let you know what we decide to do in the end.

 

[lesleyann23]

Hi where you girls from I grew up near cleckheaton.

 

[Toni_Win]

We live a couple of miles from the centre of Dewsbury in Ravensthorpe.

 

[redbear]

I live in Thornhill Just looked at Wakefield birthing centre and it says its for women who want a more homely birth- i would rather see where im going so if they dont let me look at dewsbury i will call them up - it sounds really nice! x

 

[Lulabell]

I thought the majority of hospitals had a "visitors going home time"?

I used to work at the hospital that I will be going to and we sent home visitors once it got to a certain time. This was of course unless there was special circumstances.

 

[Toni_Win]

You probably won't be able to look round Wakefield either. Dewsbury, Pontefract and Wakefield are all part of the same hospital trust, Mid Yorkshire. The no visiting rule is a trust wide one. The reason they've stopped doing them is twofold, one because they don't want to show people round while there are women in labour and people rushing round helping them. They were finding that they would organise tours, then have to either cancel them or cut them short depending on what was happening on the ward. So people weren't really getting a proper tour. The second reason is safety - so no-one can come in on a tour and try and get to the babies. It's happening a lot in other places around the country. Like I say, they're supposed to have done a virtual tour of the hospitals instead, but I haven't found them as yet.

 

[Laura_C]

I would think the majority of hospitals have this rule I'm afraid

It's crappy and horrible but I can totally understand why having been on several mat wards. I had a panic attack on the postnatal ward as there was too many people around I didn't know and it was so noisy I had a complete meltdown! They left me alone in early labour for hours as they sent my hubby home because visiting time had finished - at that time I was scared and alone but I was in the much pain and so tired I just tried to sleep. Once in delivery my husband was there the whole time. I couldn't have coped with lots of people around I didn't know, so the fact it was just ladies in the same position was better for me. Tbh by that point I couldn't give a rats ass! I used to hate that my husband was sent home each evening when I'd had our little girl as I knew I'd be alone all night but it was our quiet time as it had been so hectic during the day. After 3 days in hospital I was more than ready for us to go home!

 

[lesleyann23]

Ah I know where you both are. I really would recommend birthing centre. It's strange cos huddersfield and Halifax let you look around first.

 

[redbear]

I know they have visiting times but when your in labour i would think it would be an acception... it can't be good to be getting upset and stressed on top of labour.... just told my mum she said they will have to get the police there to kick her out- she also said what happens if your in labour in the middle of the night? Because thats out of visiting times...i actually don't doubt it she would stay very stubbon lady!

Ive just looked at the birthig center online and it sounds much nicer- it says it has a 'homley' feel so im guessing they would let other half and mum stay but i dunno im going to call them Have you been there yourself lesleyann23? xx