The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has introduced an online maternity self-referral service, allowing expectant mothers to self-refer and directly book their first midwife appointments.
Using an online form, newly pregnant women can bypass the traditional step of visiting a general practitioner (GP) for a referral.
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This digital service provides families with the option to select their preferred NHS trust for maternity care.
Although a GP visit before midwife care is not necessary, the option remains available for those who wish to consult their doctor, particularly if they have other health conditions.
The NHS emphasises the importance of early care access, which enables timely antenatal screening and the development of a tailored care plan based on the mother’s medical history and current health status.
Since the launch of the online tool, approximately 60,000 newly pregnant women have initiated their referrals through the system.
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By GlobalDataMore than three-quarters of NHS trusts in England are currently connected to the service, which is designed to help in accessing maternity services more promptly.
In total, nearly 85,000 individuals have used the portal for help and information.
NHS chief midwife Kate Brintworth 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 introduction of this service is projected to significantly reduce the workload on GPs, potentially resulting in 180,000 fewer calls and up to 30,000 fewer GP appointments annually.
Before the launch of the online tool, self-referral was possible through local trust websites. However, only half of the eligible individuals used this direct access, with many still approaching GPs unnecessarily for maternity care referrals.
UK Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “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.”
This development follows the NHS’s approval of a new electronic patient record system for GPs, marking the first substantial upgrade to core IT systems in 25 years.
