[jlee90]

Hi,
I'm new here, read a lot but have never posted! I'm almost 9 weeks pregnant, 3rd pregnancy and we've just found out recently that we are being relocated from Sydney to Melbourne for hubby's work. I went and saw my gp here in Sydney for pregnancy confirmation and also discussed my options for the move. My gp is originally from Melbourne which was helpful, when I told her hubby works in Southbank and we'd be staying there and looking for a permanent place there or in surrounding suburbs she said I'd need to book into the RHW. She did my referral and told me to call and call RHW and explain the situation and they'd tell me what I need to do... Well when I called the bookings line they were so unhelpful and I am so upset about it all... I was told they won't book me in without having a permanent address and that I'd need to find somewhere to live and then fax through my referral. I tried to explain the situation to the person I spoke to, which is that we are going into temporary accommodation in a hotel for at least 12 weeks (seems a long time but that's how long the company supplies accommodation for a move). We are also booked for go overseas for a month in between so that's another reason we won't be looking for a house right away... They were absolutely no help to me, the lady literally was like 'oh well nothing can be done, just send it when you have an address... and no we won't take a work address'... I feel like I am being discriminated against for not having a permanent address, surely they can't do that? I just can't stop crying, this move is hard enough without going there not knowing where I am going to be getting pregnancy care or if/when I can be booked into a hospital... Help please Melbourne ladies, I'm really not sure what I can do? Will a gp look after me without an address? What if by the time I find something the hospital won't book me in? TIA

[her mum]

You will have an address. The hotel address will be your address as your are going to be living there for a period of 12 weeks.

Then when you move, just change it with them. You will be able to give them a different postal address if you have a PO box or something as well.

You don't need to enter into a huge discussion with them. Just give the hotel address in the space marked for address. If anyone questions it tell them you are living there for 3 months as you just moved to the city. This will be fine.

[AmberNut]

Do you have any friends in Melbourne whose address you could use and just pretend its your address? You could use my address if you like, I could forward on any mail that comes!!!

[jlee90]

Thank you so much you ladies are lovely! They are both good ideas... My hubby does have a friend/workmate that lives in Southbank so I can get him to ask if its ok to use his address and then just change it later on... She was just so rude about it like surely I can't be the only person who has ever had this problem, didn't think they could deny me care because of it?? Although maybe they won't accept work address due to people who are out of catchment trying to get in using work addresses.
I feel a bit better now I don't know why I didn't think of those ideas, I think I was just so upset and worked up from being spoken to rudely and treated like second class.
Another question... She said the hospital is so busy that booking in appointments aren't until 20 weeks? I always thought it was much earlier than that? Well here it is 12-14 weeks... What do I do for care between now and 20 weeks? I'm a public patient and won't be having an ob, should I just try and find a gp if it is going to be that long before the hospital will see me?
Thanks so much

[AmberNut]

Some GP's do shared care, perhaps that could be an option for you... not sure.
Because of my situation with fertility specialists and obs its not something that we have considered in Melbourne but I know that our wonderful GP offers that sort of set up and to be honest I would have no issues going with him for prenatal care.
I may be facing a similar situation in the future, my husband's work is considering moving us to Auckland in which case I would go public as Auckland City Hospital apparently has an awesome high care midwifery unit.

[laridae]

Another question... She said the hospital is so busy that booking in appointments aren't until 20 weeks? I always thought it was much earlier than that? Well here it is 12-14 weeks... What do I do for care between now and 20 weeks? I'm a public patient and won't be having an ob, should I just try and find a gp if it is going to be that long before the hospital will see me?
Thanks so much

My hospital didn't have the 1st appointment until about 22 weeks. Just get your referrals for the scans (12 week & 20? week) from a GP. You shouldn't really need much more care than that before 20 weeks.

[Pooks*potters]

Yes you do GP care until 20 weeks, although some places might do a booking-in type appointment where they get all your details and do some screening- it's not a big deal if you are interstate under a different model of care. When you move to Melbourne, call the RWH and give the hotel as your address. It's really no drama. I moved from Sydney to Melbourne while pregnant and had HG so needed more care than your average mummy, and it was really no drama. Just before you move, ask your GP to print out all of your medical records/ test results pertaining to your pregnancy and then bring them to the first appointment at the RWH. If you have a hospital visit while in Sydney, ask for the records to be printed out as you are moving. That's what I did, and it was fine. You are over thinking it.

[HGL]

Another question... She said the hospital is so busy that booking in appointments aren't until 20 weeks? I always thought it was much earlier than that? Well here it is 12-14 weeks... What do I do for care between now and 20 weeks? I'm a public patient and won't be having an ob, should I just try and find a gp if it is going to be that long before the hospital will see me?
Thanks so much

A lot of hospitals now aren't doing first appts until 20 weeks. I had an appt with my doctor at 9 weeks, then I don't see her again until 20 weeks.
You just need to get your GP to give you a referral for the scans (12 wk & 19 wk).

[MrsLexiK]

Thank you so much you ladies are lovely! They are both good ideas... My hubby does have a friend/workmate that lives in Southbank so I can get him to ask if its ok to use his address and then just change it later on... She was just so rude about it like surely I can't be the only person who has ever had this problem, didn't think they could deny me care because of it?? Although maybe they won't accept work address due to people who are out of catchment trying to get in using work addresses.
I feel a bit better now I don't know why I didn't think of those ideas, I think I was just so upset and worked up from being spoken to rudely and treated like second class.
Another question... She said the hospital is so busy that booking in appointments aren't until 20 weeks? I always thought it was much earlier than that? Well here it is 12-14 weeks... What do I do for care between now and 20 weeks? I'm a public patient and won't be having an ob, should I just try and find a gp if it is going to be that long before the hospital will see me?
Thanks so much

For your OP I would assume it is because you need to be in the catchment areas. Without an address they cannot be sure you are in the catchment. But like another PP has said use the hotel address then use your current address as your postal address and update it when you get down here.

also I am planning on going to a private hopsital however I need a double booked appt at the public hospital as my private is very low risk and I have some indicators at the start of the pregnacy that may have pushed me to not be low risk. My booking in appt with them (the public ones) was at 17 weeks. You could find a GP or, go through the midwife program at your current hospital now and transfer the care down? (I know of a girl who is moving interstate and is transferring the care however she is private so I am not sure if it is a bit different) My OB couldn't see me until I was just after 12 weeks which meant I just saw my GP (who has no birthing rights at any hospital) who orgainsed my dating scan, some bloods and my 12 week scan.

[TwoHeadedGirl]

I was in a similar position, although I moved from Melbourne to Brisbane. I didn't end up being booked into a hospital until I was 22 weeks, I think I was 28 weeks before I even saw anyone at the hospital and I only went to two hospital appointments before giving birth. All my scans and tests were organised by my GP in Melbourne, I had already done shared care with her for my first pregnancy so we kind of just went along the same route except I made sure all the test results can straight to me so I could pass them on to the hospital when I moved.