Holles St

New_preg_1021

Hi

Just found out I'm pregnant and myself and my husband are looking for options. Our health insurance covers Semi Private and I'm really confused re consultants. I like the idea of midwife led, but not the larger wards, so I think we'll go SP. Any tips on consultants?

Any tips?

lazygal

Semi p wards are still quite large, you'll be on a six or eight bed ward if you get a sp bed. I went private, spent a night on a semi p ward and it was very busy.

Blingy

Semi private ward should have a maximum of 5 beds. One of the rooms I think has only 2 beds.
The semi private consultants have a specific day and morning or afternoon for their appointments if you check the website it will show the list and when the appointments are. Just be mindful if you chose a consultant that does Mondays the appointments may be busier due to all the bank holidays. I had this issue on my first and was waiting ages every time I had an appointment. It might be different now.

lazygal

Should have. The day I was there 8 beds had been squeezed into a 6 bed ward because it was busy.

New_preg_1021

Thanks all. Maybe with Covid they can't add more beds?


Does anyone have any recommendations on consultants?

annoyedgal

The lady beside me in long stay had Dr Carroll as a consultant and he seemed absolutely lovely and a gent. She was very happy with him.
I was public three times. Had some issues on last pregnancy and saw consultant Jenny Walsh on a few occasions. She was fantastic and would have no hesitation to recommend her.
Can't comment on accommodation as was always public. Thankfully never had more than 5 or 6 in public ward and one heavenly night of only 3! All down to luck though. Congrats on the pregnancy

Shelli2

Dr Carroll is fantastic. I was with him for my recent pregnancy and I would highly recommend him.

I had both my children SP in Holles St, the wards have 5 beds maximum, some have 2.

Any questions feel free to PM.

Shelli2

lazygal wrote: »

Should have. The day I was there 8 beds had been squeezed into a 6 bed ward because it was busy.

In Holles St? I really don't think there is a six bed Semi Private ward.

lazygal

Shelli2 wrote: »

In Holles St? I really don't think there is a six bed Semi Private ward.

I think I remember my experience thanks.

Shelli2

lazygal wrote: »

I think I remember my experience thanks.

Not doubting you. Just wanted to confirm you were in Holles St, and actually on a semi-private ward.
If semi private was full you may have been put on a public ward, similar if private rooms are fully occupied those patients are put on semi-private wards.
Your not actually guaranteed a bed on any ward or private room in fairness.

lazygal

Shelli2 wrote: »

Not doubting you. Just wanted to confirm you were in Holles St, and actually on a semi-private ward.
If semi private was full you may have been put on a public ward, similar if private rooms are fully occupied those patients are put on semi-private wards.
Your not actually guaranteed a bed on any ward or private room in fairness.

Yes I was. Not sure why you think I'd make stuff up.
I got a private room after my husband put his foot down about the lack of privacy in the semi private ward. It wa a busy time and extra beds had been squeezed in.
Hopefully with covid this doesn't happen now.

Jen Pigs Fly

I’m semi private currently with dr. Carroll, I can’t fault him at all! I’m 34weeks currently and he takes my concerns seriously, he listens well and just seems a very genuine person. He has given me prescription certs as needed for blood pressure medicine and scans me every appointment (weekly since 28w due to pregnant induced hypertension and possible pre eclampsia)

Only thing I’ll say is, I’m semi private and on Thursday I had to be omitted for the night for blood pressure observation and I was put on the 14 bed unit 3 or Pembroke suite ante natal ward. There were 4 of us that night but by the morning the beds were filling up and all 14 were in use by my discharge from the ward.

It was busy and people coming in and out etc, but I knew going semi private that it means nothing when it comes to beds, etc. I went for semi private to see one consultant due to a back injury.

annoyedgal

Yep I had a long term stay before delivery and a few nights in and out before that with blood pressure and pre e and it was seemed public and private patients were mixed together.
But it's post natal that the privacy and peace would be really beneficial so hopefully you'll get a nice quiet ward.
The visitor restrictions made things a lot more peaceful on my last baby. But when I had my first five years ago it was like a circus with visitors and sleep was impossible!

The One Doctor

New_preg_1021 wrote: »

Hi

Just found out I'm pregnant and myself and my husband are looking for options. Our health insurance covers Semi Private and I'm really confused re consultants. I like the idea of midwife led, but not the larger wards, so I think we'll go SP. Any tips on consultants?

Any tips?

As another poster has said, SP means nothing when it comes to beds. You may get more appointments, but on the day it'll be no different to going public.

Honestly, health insurance doesn't do a lot for pregnancy. You may get a few more appointments and if you're lucky a private room, but in reality the standard of care depends on the staff, not the money spent.

Consultants are consultants, they're only called in when there's a problem or they get paid privately.

I hope everything goes well for you and your baby!

Holles St is good, but has VERY limited space for anything.

If you're low risk you could go with midwife-led/Domino at Holles St. Often, you can get away without spending too much time on the ward. Depending on time of day and complications, you might not spend the night at all. I know there are pros and cons to it but I loved the Domino scheme, especially because of the early transfer home aspect of it (though you can do early tranfer home anyway).

I also just wasn't all that bothered about sharing the ward, to be honest. Yes you can hear other people, and there was one person on the phone very early in the morning, which I didn't love, but it's not that big of a deal for me. I'm very private by nature, so not sure why I wasn't bothered. Anyway, I had one baby abroad and had a private room and it didn't improve my experience in any meaningful way.

GingerLily

I went semi private with Holles Street and was happy enough with the care, but just found out I've gestational diabetes so I'll be switching to a diabetes clinic now in the hospital, it's the same for public and private! I've not given birth yet but not sure semi private was good value for money for me.

I will say though the hospital and staff were amazing to me so far and I really couldn't fault the care and attention I've received.

mojesius

Id recommend Dr Gerry Agnew in Holles Street, fantastic consultant.

I went semi private on both mine in Holles Street. Bed-wise, it's all luck of the draw, and depending on how busy it is. First time, I was in a 6 bed ward, only 3 of us there. Second time, 8 bed ward, mostly full. Spent two nights on each birth in hospital, but you can stay 3 if you prefer and obviously more for a C-section. It was nice the last time with only partners allowed to visit, much quieter despite being a bigger, fuller ward.

Best of luck!