Expectant parents on the Isle of Wight can now access maternity services directly online without the need to see a GP first, thanks to an initiative under the NHS 10-year plan to improve digital access.
The new self-referral process enables anyone who has discovered they are pregnant to begin their maternity care quickly with just a few clicks. Early access to maternity care is crucial for the health of both mother and baby, and this service aims to remove unnecessary delays.
By visiting the NHS website and entering a postcode, town, or city, expectant parents can locate their local NHS Trust offering maternity services. They can then choose the NHS Trust they wish to refer themselves to, with the flexibility to change later if needed.
Most Trusts provide an online form, and where this is not available, contact details are listed on the maternity website. After submitting a referral, the maternity service will arrange the first midwife appointment, ideally before 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Margaret Beattie, Associate Director of Maternity and Early Years at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, has said:
“We know that early access to maternity care has a positive impact on outcomes for both parents and babies.
“Whilst online self-referral isn’t new across Hampshire and Isle of Wight maternity services, having one place on the NHS website makes the process easier and ensures families can choose the service that’s right for them. It removes unnecessary delays and supports the NHS’s digital first strategy ensuring that care is more connected, efficient, and patients are at the centre.”
GP appointments are no longer required to start maternity care, although those with long-term health conditions or who are taking medication are advised to consult their GP or specialist to ensure care is coordinated. Women who are new to the UK, digitally excluded, or for whom English is not their first language can still choose to begin their care through their GP if preferred.
For those unable to use an online form or who wish to speak with someone directly, local NHS Trusts can be contacted by phone. Further advice, including pre-conception information, is available on the “Pregnancy and Birth” section of the Healthier Together website.
For more information, visit the NHS maternity services page.
Since the pandemic GPs have never had it so good.
All the NHS staff shirking, oops I mean working from home
have never had it so good!
Won’t be too long before the majority of them are replaced by
A.I.
Pretty obvious you don’t actually know any NHS staff if you think that.