Can't get confirmed hospital booking
- 05-11-2007, 07:54 PM #9Registered User
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Pok Fu Lam
- Posts
- 231
yeh, I got told about the 'on-the-day' thing too, but now that I have to have a c-section it kind of complicates things as it's not as though I will just turn up when in labour (unless I go into labour prior to the planned section).
Aussiegal, I had a friend who was with Dawkins and he booked her into the Matilda really early in her pregnancy (she was also due in June), and therefore had a confirmed booking. Did he not book you in early too? She's now moved to the UK to have the baby, so I guess someone was lucky to get her spot at the Matilda!
I was never booked in early because my doc (Dr Sally Ferguson) said that it has never been necessary before. She said this scenario has NEVER happened before!
I don't think it's a mainlander problem, but just a general baby-boom according to word on the street, but if anyone knows any 'inside' info as to why all the hospitals are full I'd love to hear!
Fingers crossed for both you and I Aussiegal!!
- 05-11-2007, 09:07 PM #10Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- Southside
- Posts
- 660
KatBoo, I only arrived in HK when I was 6 months pregnant so i was waitlisted from day one.
Dr Dawkins did tell me that it is harder to get places these days because more Mainlanders are coming across - or were until they changed the rules recently. Firstly, it is cheaper to give birth here in a private hospital like Matilda than to give birth in a private hospital in the Mainland! I couldn't believe it. But many were coming to get citizenship too.
- 05-11-2007, 09:27 PM #11Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- cheung chau
- Posts
- 141
You know - Queen Mary is not a bad hospital. It's actually considered to be probably the best, in terms of neonatal facilities, in Asia. Of course you won't get a private room with a balcony, but really, it's just having a baby, and it doesn't take long. I've done it twice and am none the worse for it.
- 05-11-2007, 10:08 PM #12Registered User
- Join Date
- Jun 2003
- Location
- Hong Kong
- Posts
- 467
The Mainland mothers coming to give birth here is causing problems for the expensive hospitals but not because they are using them. There is the knock on effect happening. The Mainlanders are using the public and cheaper private hospitals. Thus the mothers who would use these hospitals are moving up market and using the middle range private hospitals. And again the mothers who would use the middle range are moving into the expensive hospitals, i.e. the Adventist and the Matilda. There is no where else for the mothers who normal use these expensive hospital to go, thus the unprecedented difficulty in booking a bed.
- 05-12-2007, 11:00 AM #13Registered User
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Pok Fu Lam
- Posts
- 231
...but I thought that the numbers of mainlanders coming to HK had dropped hugely with the new regulations (according to the SCMP anyway)? This is why I don't understand why there is still a problem. You'd have thought everyone would have shuffled back down again now that the new booking system and costs are in place for the mainlanders.
- 05-12-2007, 05:08 PM #14Registered User
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
- Hong Kong
- Posts
- 94
I don't think it's really Mainlanders that are to blame. Both my doctor and the hospital have said that the boom is due to huge numbers of people wanting Year of The Pig babies. Not sure how much luck that these babies are going to have if they are all going to be compteing for the same school places, jobs etc. in years to come!
- 05-12-2007, 06:21 PM #15Registered User
- Join Date
- Jun 2005
- Location
- Hong Kong
- Posts
- 181
Yes it seems to happens alot when its the year of the pig, dragon or monkey.
- 05-14-2007, 01:59 PM #16Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2005
- Location
- Hong Kong
- Posts
- 377
as i was speculating on another other thread, i think that the costs that have been put in place for mainlanders for public hospitals has DIRECTLY just PUSHED them to use private hospitals instead. there is essentially NO DIFFERENCE for them in cost, why not go private if you're paying the same. my theory anyways... i've always want to write to a paper or something to get this verified, it's so annoying to see bad policy like this.
Similar Threads
-
Booking public hospital
By NewBabyLA in forum Hong Kong Pregnancy ForumReplies: 15Last Post: 05-14-2010, 11:14 PM -
Hospital Booking
By mmec in forum Hong Kong Pregnancy ForumReplies: 13Last Post: 12-24-2008, 09:06 AM -
First doctors appointment and booking a hospital
By staceycolyer in forum Hong Kong Pregnancy ForumReplies: 10Last Post: 09-29-2008, 10:00 AM -
Booking at QE hospital
By M2b222 in forum Hong Kong Pregnancy ForumReplies: 2Last Post: 05-06-2008, 12:57 PM -
No Confirmed Hospital Room!!!
By LittleLams in forum Preparing for the ArrivalReplies: 19Last Post: 02-25-2007, 03:24 PM