Expectant mothers in England can now bypass GP visits by completing a simple online form on NHS.uk to self-refer directly to local maternity services, ensuring timely and personalised care
Newly pregnant women can now refer themselves directly to their local maternity services without seeing a GP first. This will allow women to choose which NHS trust to attend, and begin NHS pregnancy care as early as possible.
Only 62% of first appointments occurred in the first ten weeks of pregnancy
First appointments are essential to help newly pregnant women talk through any concerns and arrange necessary early screening tests to help identify women with high-risk pregnancies.
This new initiative aims to speed up access to maternity services, as data highlights only 62% of first appointments with midwives happened within the first ten weeks of pregnancy in 2023/24.
The NHS’s chief midwife has today urged expectant mums to refer themselves as early as possible to ensure the safest possible care for their baby and that they can get the support they need.
Kate Brintworth, NHS chief midwife, said: “It’s so important that newly pregnant women get the support they need as soon as possible, so this new tool makes it easier than ever to book that all-important first maternity care appointment.
“Making this process simpler at the touch of a button is a vital step in empowering women to take control of their pregnancy journey right from the very start and improving access to timely, personalised care”.
The earlier mums seek NHS care, the sooner they can access antenatal screening and gain support from midwives.
Early data shows that nearly 60,000 newly pregnant women have started their referral online since the new tool was rolled out in March, with over three-quarters of trusts in England now connected to the service to support hundreds of thousands of women in accessing maternity services faster. Nearly 85,000 (84,678) people have accessed the portal in total to receive information and support.
Easing pressures on GP services
This new service could lead to 180,000 fewer calls to GPs and up to 30,000 fewer general practice appointments each year.
Before this, expectant mums have been able to self-refer via local Trust sites; however, it’s estimated that only 50% of people were accessing these services directly, with many going unnecessarily via their GP to access maternity care.
Dr Claire Fuller, NHS national medical director, said: “GPs are available for any pregnant woman who has concerns about their pregnancy they need to discuss, or other health conditions that require monitoring, but in many cases, GP teams don’t need to be the first point of contact when someone finds out they’re pregnant.
“This quick and easy tool can help ease pressure on practice teams, who won’t need to make the referral themselves, and by freeing up that time, there will hopefully be a benefit for other patients who are looking to make an appointment with their GP”.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “Early pregnancy should be about joy and excitement – not wrestling with NHS bureaucracy to book a midwife appointment.
“That’s why we’ve overhauled the online referral system. No more endless phone calls or form-filling. Just a simple online service that lets you book those crucial first appointments with a few clicks.
“Almost 85,000 women have visited the service since March – proof that when we embrace technology under our Plan for Change, patients win. This is exactly the kind of reform patients are calling for, bringing the NHS into the 21st century and delivering the service people deserve”.
Dr Jyotsna Vohra, Director of Research, Programmes and Impact for Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity, said: “We welcome any changes that will help women and birthing people access the proper care as soon as they know they’re pregnant.
“Being able to self-refer online for a first midwife appointment will be a positive choice for many, as long as the system is as user-friendly and straightforward as possible.
“Early and personalised support is key to making pregnancy and birth safe for everyone, and to reducing the inequities that put some groups of people at higher risk of complications and loss than others.
“There will always be women and birthing people with particular health needs who should see a GP at the beginning of their pregnancy, and we are reassured that that option will remain”.
Responding to NHS England’s announcement that pregnant women can refer themselves directly to maternity services without seeing a GP first, Ruth Rankine, primary care director at the NHS Confederation, said: “This is a very welcome step that will make it simpler for pregnant women to get their first midwife appointments as well as reducing the workload on general practice, which has been managing record levels of demand.
“While there will always need to be the option for people to see their GP if they have additional needs such as language difficulties or learning disabilities, this announcement gives patients another route to access the care they need as part of the government’s ambition to move towards a digital NHS.
“We already know the NHS App is becoming the first port of call for many patients, and giving people more choices will allow them to take even more control of their healthcare.”
