can't wait.
<H1>New mother forced to travel 200 miles between four hospitals to give birth... only to see her premature twins split up
</H1>
By Andrew Levy
Last updated at 4:19 PM on 15th December 2008

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An expectant mother was ferried 250 miles between four different hospitals only to have one of her twins separated as soon as they were delivered.

Angela Breeds, 30, was told she needed a Caesarian section when doctors discovered one of her unborn babies was too small and not getting enough nutrition.

But what should have been the most thrilling moment of her life turned into a five-day ordeal because the hospitals either did not have the right scanning equipment or incubators needed.

Doctors finally performed the Caesarian and delivered Suzie and Sonny nine weeks early.



Premature newborn Suzie. The baby's twin, Sonny, was taken to The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, an hour away, as there were not sufficient facilities to care for both

But to compound matters, Sonny was moved to another hospital five minutes after birth - again because of incubator shortages.

Miss Breeds and her partner, Lee Taylor, 35, are now getting up at 5am every day to take breast milk to the babies at each hospital.

Reflecting on her own Christmas experience in which she found there was 'no room at the inn', she said: 'I'm just so angry about being pushed around everywhere.

'Then when I found out they had to be separated I was completely gutted.'

The couple's birthing marathon began on December 3, when doctors in Basildon, Essex, became concerned following a routine scan and sent Miss Breeds to King's College Hospital in South-East London for a specialist scan.

She drove the 31 miles there with Mr Taylor and doctors confirmed one of the babies was significantly underweight and would have to be delivered early by Caesarian.

The couple then drove back to Basildon for the emergency operation that evening only to learn the hospital had no intensive care cots available.

This meant Miss Breeds, from Stanford-le-Hope in Essex, had to go 110 miles to Peterborough Hospital in North Cambridgeshire by ambulance using its sirens and flashing lights, which she found 'incredibly stressful'.



Basildon Hospital maternity unit, which turned away Angela Breeds as they did not have enough intensive care cots for the babies

Doctors there wanted to run more tests to check she still needed the Caesarian and only decided to go ahead with the procedure three days later.

But by then their incubators were full and Miss Breeds had to be sent to Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, East London, 86 miles away.

This time, Mr Taylor, a welder, drove her there as she couldn't face another journey by ambulance.

She gave birth to 2lb 8oz Suzie and 2lb Sonny the following day, December 8, but only one incubator was free so Sonny was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

Angela Breeds was forced to travel 200 miles between four hospitals

He has spent the past week there, although doctors believe he is now strong enough to be reunited with his sister at Whipps Cross early this week.

Miss Breeds added: 'It takes about an hour to get from our home to Whipps Cross, then another hour to get to Whitechapel. It's very tiring.'

Her mother Barbara, 57, a sales consultant, criticised the shortage of facilities on the NHS and complained the unborn babies had been put under more stress as her daughter kept having to starve herself in preparation for the Caesarian.

'Something that should have been one of the happiest days in our lives was totally ruined by all the travel and stress involved,' she said.

'I'm not blaming the hospital staff for doing anything wrong. It's just the system that means people can't use their local hospital.'

Basildon Hospital yesterday blamed the problems on 'unpredictable' demand for neonatal intensive care.

Spokeswoman Luenne Featherstone said: 'When a baby is receiving care at a hospital not local to where the family live, the hospital caring for the baby will make every effort to move them closer to home as soon as a neonatal cot becomes available and only if it is safe to do so.

'We understand that to travel to visit their babies is not ideal for this family but to date a neonatal cot has not been available at Basildon Hospital.'

NHS East of England, the strategic health authority for the region, said it was reviewing neonatal services in an attempt to improve care.

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OMG an example that repesents a minor difficulty yet ignores the greater benefit. Never thought jeff whould post such a thing.

NCJ,

You really need to get your priorities straight, Sir! It's been awhile and I can't help but to do this. Dirt Nasty pwns:

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Originally Posted by Niceguy

OMG an example that repesents a minor difficulty yet ignores the greater benefit. Never thought jeff whould post such a thing.

I believe this is more than a minor difficulty

ill read your article if youll watch sicko...

deal?

is Obama bringing in the NHS to run our healthcare system?

 

Originally Posted by saxman

Very strange indeed since they seem to have passed right by Toronto Sick Kids hospital and the McMaster University Childrens hospital. Two of the best childrens hospitals in the entire fucking province. I'm sure the story was printed for a valid reason though. They wouldn't try and make a push for private health care. Would they?

Am I missing something? Thought this article was in England

Well if it is, I apologize for my rant. I just looked at the map and saw London, Cambridge and Peterborough which are all towns in this area.

well, this article contains facts (as far as we know). how would moore compete?

 

Originally Posted by NUTZREALHUGE

free healthcare in this country is going to be a nightmare.

first, "free" is not correct. its going to be funded by way higher taxes.

there will be a huge decline in the quality of healthcare too.

This..... plus you wont be able to customize a plan to fit you and your family's needs

Yeah, never having to worry about healthcare, no matter how bad your circumstances get is a major drag.

Yeah, and we already have that here, it's called Medicaid.

 

Originally Posted by Underdog34

People who rely on anecdotal evidence to form their opinions about public policy amuse me.

/me files this one away

Anecdotal evidence aside, does anyone really claim that wait times and access to adequate care and certain procedures are not continuing problems in countries with some form of universal healthcare?

Or are the negatives just rationalized away in a sea of optimism surrounding "free" care for everyone.

Um, no?

Does anyone really claim that insurance companies dicking customers around about "pre-existing" conditions and denying possibly life-saving procedures are not continuing problems in countries (well, country) with out some form of universal healthcare?

Or are the negatives just rationalized away in a sea of optimism surrounding private health care.