Switching from private to public

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UKlady

Registered User
Hi everyone,

I'm now 6 weeks pregnant, and had been having private fertility treatment up until got the good news. I have had my first prengancy appointment with the same private doctor, and already the question of booking a hospital room came up. Up to this point I had assumed either mine of my husband's medical insurance would cover us for maternity and birth costs, but unfortunately I've now realised neither of them do. Having looked into the costs of delivering privately here, it seems like an obvious choice to switch to public care, which is fine by me as I would have used the NHS in the Uk anyway. However, I'm not sure how to do this and have 2 main questions:

1) what would be the best point to make the change? I think I'd like to stay with my doctor at least until the 12-week scan, as I'm still on some of the medication to do with PCOS. Does anyone else have experience of changing to the public system after fertility treatment?
2) How do I go about registering with a public hospital/GP? Do I need to see a GP first, then get referred to a hospital? I have no idea about the procedure. What check-ups shuold expect under the public system? Currently I'm seeing my private doctor every week, but I know that's a lot!

If anyone can shed any light on any of tis, I'd be very grateful!!

Thanks,

UKLady
 
Switching from Private to Public is fairly easy. You just need to make an appt with the Gov't clinic, and you'll also need a letter from your Dr or a GP confirming you're pregnant. However, as you're on medication for PCOs, I would suggest registering directly with the High Risk Dept at Queen Mary Hospital. The care is a bit better, you will see the same Dr at each visit.

Your private Dr will need to give you a referral letter. Best to be honest and explain your situation.

HTH
 
Hi Rani,
Thanks so much for this. So can I get the referral letter from my doctor and go straight to the QMH high risk unit with it? When do people normally register with public doctors? Before week 12 or not?
Thanks,
UKLady
 
At the maternal clinics the first appt is at 10-11 weeks. The High Risk Dept will see you earlier. Here's the tel # i have. Give them a call tomorrow and speak to the nurse in charge. She'll tell you how to register.

Ms. Irene Lee, Department Operations Manager (Obstetrics & Gynaenology), Queen Mary Hospital/Tsan Yuk Hospital (Tel: 2855 5590)

Good luck!
 
I might be wrong but in Queen Mary/ Tsan Yuk I do not think it is possible to sign in directly with the high risk department if you wish to. Only if the investigating doctor on your first visit to Tsan Yuk (After registration) feels you need to be referred to the high risk department because of any pre existing condition which might effect the baby or you, will he/ she give you a referral to the high risk department.
I was seeing Dr Christine Choy for PCOS till I conceived and 12 or 14 weeks after. On shifting to Tsan Yuk I did insist that I need to see a doctor at the high risk department but they didn't think it was necessary.
 
and just a quick correction: you don't always see the same dr on high risk team. it is usually a team of four and you could get any one of them at any visit. but they do get to know you a little better. they were fantastic when i delivered my second last february.

good luck!
 
Thanks for the info everyone - it's really helpful. What exactly is Tsan Yuk? Is it a clinic associated with Queen Mary which you go to before being referred to a hospital doctor? Joy of Living, I am also with Dr Choy now, so I'd be interested to know how your experience has been so far and how you found the transition. Were you on Metformin, and if so did you stay on it for the first trimester?
Can I also ask, do most of the doctors at Queen Mary speak English? Also, I live in the Mid Levels...are there any issues with catchment area for Queen Mary?
Thanks again for all your help,
UKLady
 
Tsan Yuk is the hospital associated with Queen Mary where you go for your antenatal checkups after registration. The delivery happens in Queen Mary. Most doctors in Tsan Yuk and Queen Mary speak English. Since you are living in Mid levels you will most probably be eligible for delivering at Queen Mary.
For your other queries I have sent you a PM.
 
If you are more comfortable staying with your private Dr for a while this is fine.
I switched from private to public at 28weeks and it was very simple.
Tsan yuk just want photocopies of your test results and and info so far, you'll be assesed by a Dr and they will decide whether you need attention from the high risk team.

Depending on how far along you are you may not be considered high risk anymore.

If you are high risk, you will automatically be required to deliver at QMH regardless of where you live.

Don't register with the public system until you are ready to switch as it just causes confusion if you want to continue privately.
 
correction: ALL doctors in HK speak english, whether they work at QMH, Tsan Yuk or privately. MED school in HK is all in english. however, sometimes their understanding of things non-medical can be a little iffy. i found that sometimes if i asked a question, they didn't always answer the question that i was asking, so i'd have to think of a different way to ask the same question. they usually could figure it out and answer without any problem.

where you might run into trouble with using english is on some of the med-students. if you ever get a student, then just ask to speak to the "dr" in charge. you may have to wait a little longer, but it's worth it.

good luck!
 
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