Problems with Public System and mainland births

[tutor1]

I've been attending PWH and have had all my prenatal care to date there. I'm due in May.

U/S, nurses and doctors have been fine. I realise it's the public system and you don't get the personal attention that you would in private. On previous occasions I have visited the wards and found everything to be adequate however yesterday I had an u/s and tests there and had to go to the ladies bathroom. It was disgusting. The ward was absolutely full - I have never seen it like this before - the bathrooms hadn't been cleaned recently (there was blood on the seat) and the women were all coughing and sniffling. There seemed to be an awful amount of doctors and nurses standing / sitting around also.

I walked out very distressed. I know there has been a lot of print lately about the problems with mainland women coming over the giving birthand an employee friend had told me it was a significant problem but I had to see for myself. I told my SO and he said the toilets he went to were similar.

I hope this doesn't sound petty but now I'm thinking is it wise to pay the $20-30,000 and book a private room at one of the other hospitals so I am assured a bed and also am attended to. It's a real stretch for us but this is my first child so I don't want an horrendous experience.

Can anyone advise if they have taken this route? Ie. with no private insurance, they have bought one of the packages available at the other hospitals?

Perhaps I should try and transfer to one of the hospitals on the island? Would that make any difference?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[geiboyi]

I don't think having dirty bathrooms is really going to make a worth-$30,000 difference to your experience. I am going the govt route (Queen Mary, for the 2nd time) and if I was paying the extra I would do it for the actual birth experience, not the after-labour environment. If I were you, I would take a big pile of disinfectant wipes (Clorox, or similar, available in Wellcome) for whenever you use the bathrooms, and shut the curtains around the bed to avoid the coughing and sneezing. Get whoever visits you to bring in sandwiches, and just pretend you're in a private room (obviously you will still have to deal with complete strangers popping by to check your privates every couple of hours...).
Good luck, try not to stress about it too much, and remember it's only for a couple of days. The extra $$$ you save can go a long way towards your baby's education (this is the way I will be thinking of it in 3 weeks' time...).

 

[carang]

i found that at qmh the orderlies clean the bathrooms between 9-10am. i am ALWAYS the first person in there afterwards. (i've been in qmh MANY times). i still wear flip flops in the shower, though.

if the bathroom is disgusting, tell the orderly, i'm sure they will try to clean it up a little, especially if blood is involved!