Had the same experience as previous poster. Awful aftercare at Chelsea & Westminster Kensington Wing. Private wing and still left with mastitis as I was given no help or advice with breastfeeding with my first baby. Rang as soon as I was home as I knew something wasn't right still - basically told I was home now and no longer their problem. Needed a fair bit of counselling afterwards as I felt so let down. My consultant, birth and pregnancy journey was amazing so it was such a shame the few days after birth in Kensington Wing really impacted me so negatively.

Another vote for Keith Duncan at Kensington Wing (Chelsea and Westminster) - just had my second baby there with him and he is brilliant.

I would be aware that if you’re paying for the Kensington Wing at Chelsea & Westminster what you’re really paying for is the obstetrician. While there we were told by a midwife there that as far as they were concerned it was the same service as the NHS but with a private room and better food. While you’d absolutely expect the quality of medical care to be excellent on the NHS (my brother is an NHS doctor so this is not anti-NHS!) I do also think if you pay the steep prices the Kensington Wing charge that you’d expect other care the NHS would love to but cannot provide e.g. guidance on breastfeeding and generally helping in the first day with your baby.
Despite having had an emergency C section, I was offered no advice on breastfeeding until day 3 when my nipples were torn as my son had a tongue tie. I wasn’t shown or helped to swaddle my son. I was left alone with a crying baby all night on the first night even though I couldn’t move. Thankfully my husband was there - that wouldn’t be the case now during Covid. I had to remind them for my painkillers and to do my daily blood clotting prevention injections (they forgot twice). In general if we asked for something we felt like we were interrupting. If you compare this with the Portland after care for example it is severely lacking. I’ll probably try the Lindo Wing or the Portland for baby no.2.

Highly recommend Lindo Wing with Mr Karl Murphy whose cross cover is Lorin Lakasing. He is very popular so usually gets booked up in advance, and for good reason too as he is excellent. Have had both my babies with him, family have used him too, and I will be back for my third baby with him too! Since I’m a medic myself I can absolutely say he is a top doctor. He is a very safe Doctor, and it sounds obvious to say it, but always has you and the baby’s wellbeing at the forefront. Second time round I found the lindo wing outpatients as opposed to Portland outpatients to be a bit scruffy (by private clinic standards) but I wouldn’t change things as I see it as you are paying a premium for the consultant in charge of your care if things go south, and not the fancy linen or artwork on the walls. If you can afford it, I would always make the sacrifice and go with a good private obstetrician for the full package over NHS care which unfortunately is hit and miss because of so many problems but mostly staffing and funding. I had the happiest birthing experiences both times (touch wood) but unfortunately all of my medic friends and non medic family who stuck with the NHS had something ‘traumatic’ to recount. So many delays and problems with handover and communication....list goes on. Please feel free to PM if you have any questions.

You can’t pre-book a room on the Kensington wing if you’re giving birth in the NHS ward, but if you’ve had an NHS birth, you can ask after the birth if they have any Kensington rooms available and then pay your £1500 a night for them
But obviously the priority goes to Kensington wing patients so there is no guarantee you’ll get one.

I would question what another poster said about ‘mixing’ NHS and private care
The private consultants are happy to use your NHS notes as your notes and they don’t seem remotely confused! They all spend half their week as NHS consultants so it would be quite worrying if they didn’t know their way around your notes when they are sat in their private consulting room..!

We started off with the NHS and then switched, and it was fine. However, the popular consultants get booked up well in advance as they limit the number of patients they have at any one time, so if you aren’t in touch with them by the time you’re 12 weeks, you might find you are limited as to who will take you on as a patient.

We had Mina Saviddou and she is just wonderful. Her private consulting room is opposite the hospital, and she is an outstanding doctor.

http://www.obstetric-care.com/

Dr Eugene Oteng-Ntim at Guys. Could not recommend him enough.

noddy wrote: ↑Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:10 amI was on the private wing for post natal care (booked a room there) and it was really good. The midwife very quickly realised my son had an infection, and because the excellent NHS neonatal centre is next door, he was restored to health after a few days there. I would highly recommend it.

This is really encouraging to hear. Thanks for sharing and so pleased all is ok with your son. So you were able to book a private room and have the baby on the public side? x 

SophiaApp wrote: ↑Mon Sep 09, 2019 6:56 amHello

We had our third baby almost one year ago after having our first two with the NHS.

We chose the Kensington Ward Chelsea and Westminster in order to access Private care within the NHS. I would highly recommend you speak to Dr Charlotte Deans as we had amazing care and were in incredibly safe hands even when I went a bit whizzy after a fair straight forward birth.

There are also a number of other brilliant private colleagues of Charlotte who work from C&W so lots to choose from. I’d arrange to meet a shortlist and go with who you feel most comfortable with

Good luck and Congrats on your 2nd!

Thanks so much. How did you find the postnatal care on the ward at C&W. I've heard great things about Charlotte but not so much the postnatal?! TIA x
 

I was on the private wing for post natal care (booked a room there) and it was really good. The midwife very quickly realised my son had an infection, and because the excellent NHS neonatal centre is next door, he was restored to health after a few days there. I would highly recommend it.

Nick Wales at Chelsea and Westminster or Patrick O’Brien is outstanding( he’s not at Chelsea)

This is really helpful. Thank you very much. How did you find the postnatal care at C&W? X

Thanks so much. How did you find the postnatal care on the ward at C&W. Ive heard great things about Charlotte but not so much the postnatal?! TIA x

PS - They do not like to do half NHS and half private as it confuses the system and our GP strongly advises against it. It is best to pick one and go with it plus once you’ve seen the options available and care you probably won’t want to mix the two yourself.

Highly recommend Keith Duncan who is in charge at The Kensington Wing in C&W.
Dry sense of humour but at the top of his game and you’d be in very safe hands.
We were very happy with the care received, frequency of scans and my scar is so thin you cannot see it.
A very happy and healthy baby born.

Ditto on private second time around. We are going to Keith Duncan (PA laura@chelseabirthclinic.co.uk) at The Kensington Suite, Chels West. You can have a package from 32 weeks and a pay for a couple of scans before. We see him just opposite Chels West at The Woman’s Wellness Center. Lots of friends recommended him. I think many people feel his bedside manner is a little unusual but he’s excellent at answering questions, always available and apparently very good at his job. Other names that came up in the research from friends were Mr Raza (have seen him for previous surgery and he’s lovely) and Nick Wales. All at Chels West.
Good luck, really hope it’s less traumatic for your this time and it will give you the peace of mind to enjoy the pregnancy.