60,000 newly pregnant women self-refer to NHS 

Since March, new mums-to-be can skip the GP and get quicker access to their first appointment with an NHS midwife, simply by filling in an online form 

Some 60,000 newly pregnant women across England have taken advantage of a change introduced in March to speed up the process of getting their first appointment with an NHS midwife. By filling in an online form on NHS.uk, they self-referred themselves for NHS pregnancy care – with no need to go through a GP. 

In the same period, a larger number of people – 84,678 of them – have accessed the site for information and support. 

The new system was introduced to speed up access to essential early pregnancy care. NHS data shows that some 38% of first appointments with maternity services in 2023-24 did not take place within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. 

A first appointment with an NHS midwife means expectant mums can talk through any concerns they may have and arrange early screening tests, including those that can identify potentially high-risk pregnancies. The NHS midwife will also develop a personalised care plan based on the medical history of the individual. 

Self-referral had previously been possible through local NHS trust websites, but with relatively low take-up and many people still going to their GP to access maternity care. Most newly pregnant women do not otherwise need to see the GP – though anyone can, if they want to. 

Overall, the new service is expected to mean up to 180,000 fewer calls to GPs and 30,000 fewer GP appointments each year – freeing up space for others. 

Kate Brintworth, NHS Chief midwife, says: ‘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.’ 

Dr Claire Fuller, NHS National Medical Director, adds: ‘GPs are available for any pregnant women who have concerns about their pregnancy they need to discuss, or other health conditions that need 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.’ 

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