Overview
- NHS England’s NHS.uk portal now lets newly pregnant women self-refer and book their first midwife appointments without a GP visit.
- NHS England estimates the service could reduce 180,000 GP calls and 30,000 general practice appointments each year.
- Early data since March show nearly 60,000 referral starts and around 85,000 portal visits, indicating strong initial engagement.
- Around 25% of local NHS trusts remain unconnected to the national system, so expectant mothers in those areas must use existing local referral routes.
- Maternity charities warn that reliance on online booking could deepen digital exclusion even as the NHS prepares a national maternity dashboard to bolster safety oversight.