Expectant mothers across England will now be able to directly book appointments with midwives, bypassing the need for an initial GP visit, in a move designed to alleviate pressure on family doctors.
NHS officials said the change aims to free up tens of thousands of GP appointments.
Historically, women would first consult their family doctor before being referred for maternity care.
While online self-referral options have been introduced by local health bodies in recent years, only half of expectant mothers have used these services directly.
This has led many to still attend what NHS leaders described as "unnecessary" GP appointments to access maternity care.
The new system allows women to self-refer to local maternity services "at the touch of a button" via nhs.uk.
Officials stressed that women can still see a GP if they would like to, adding that some with long-term health conditions will need to discuss changes to their care or treatment plans with a doctor.
NHS England said that it is estimated that the new service could lead to 180,000 fewer calls to GPs and up to 30,000 fewer general practice appointments each year.
Source: The Independent, 12 August 2025
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