NHS change allows expectant mothers to access maternity care sooner
This change aims to free up tens of thousands of GP appointments, with estimates suggesting 180,000 fewer calls and 30,000 fewer general practice appointments annually.
Historically, women would first consult their family doctor for maternity care, though local online self-referral options were available but underutilised.
The streamlined process is expected to provide faster first appointments for mothers-to-be, addressing the issue where only 62 per cent of initial midwife appointments occurred within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy in 2023/24.
While the new system simplifies access, women can still see a GP for concerns or existing health conditions, and some local health bodies are yet to fully integrate with the national service.
NHS announces big change to how expectant mothers access maternity care
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
Easingwold athlete 'competing for my organ donor'
When Louise Prashad was diagnosed with a rare pregnancy-related condition, there was only a small chance she would years later, she will represent Team GB on the athletics world stage after receiving a successful organ transplant. Louise, from Easingwold in North Yorkshire, is due to compete at the World Transplant Games in Germany next week, where she is aiming for a gold medal in shot 32-year-old said: "I want to show my donor's family that it wasn't all in vain." At just 22 years old and 37 weeks pregnant with twins, her liver went into was then placed into an induced coma at St James's Hospital in Leeds."I woke up to the knowledge that my son and daughter had passed away at full term and that I'd had an organ transplant," Louise said."I really struggled with the grief but knowing that I had somebody else's organ and somebody else's life, really spurred me on to want to live every day like it's the last." Ten years on, Louise has married, graduated with a law degree and has two children."I think if I hadn't had the transplant I'd really have struggled to get out of the dark hole that I was in," she admitted."I'm living for more than me, I'm living for my donor and her family who I met this year, I'm living for the children I've had since and I really want to make the world proud and showcase what can be achieved."The organ recipient has spent almost 10 years conquering ultramarathons, raising more than £350,000 for liver-related charities and giving more than 600 talks about organ donation. Despite not always being sporty, Louise also began training in track and field. For the past three years, she has competed in the British Transplant Games in events such as shot put, javelin, discus, long jump and ball throw, picking up several gold medals. However, it will be the athlete's first time going to the World Transplant Games. "Shot put is my main focus for the World Games, hoping to bring back a gold," she said."It is very competitive, there are some amazing throwers from all different countries this year but I'm quietly confident. "I've been training with my coach Paul Wilson for well over a year now and I hit a PB this weekend."Louise said she owed her success to the woman who donated her liver and whose family she has since met. "I walked into a room and we just hugged and had an instant connection. I felt like I was meeting part of a long-lost family," she said."My donor saved nine people and her husband saved nine people, that's 18 people's lives that wouldn't have carried on without organ donation."She was only 52 years old and I feel a duty to keep on living for her because she gave this gift of life in her final hours. I feel like I need to honour that."Despite there being an opt-out system for organ donation, Louise said it was still important to discuss wishes with family."Your family has the final say so you need to have that conversation to leave your family sure about your decision otherwise your organs may not be donated," she added. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
9 minutes ago
- BBC News
Anti-social incidents down and 'no spiking' at Boardmasters
Anti-social behaviour was "significantly" down at the Boardmasters music festival this year and there were no confirmed spiking incidents, according to said police had confirmed drug-related medical incidents were also down with no festival-goers hospitalised across the five-day festival said it was "encouraging" that sexual assaults were down but "even one incident is too many". Boardmasters CEO Andrew Topham said the figures proved organisers and welfare partners were "making a real difference" and were "committed to creating a space where everyone, of all ages, can enjoy the festival safely". A spokesperson said there were 14 suspected spiking incidents this year compared to 55 in 2024 but nobody had tested positive to having drugs in their system over the past two said 1.79% of Boardmasters' 58,000 attendees were seen by its on-site medical centres, compared to 2.65% last figures come after a difficult year for organisers in 2025 with a series of incidents, including a crowd surge.
Daily Mail
9 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The shocking side effect of ADHD drugs that could impact 22million Americans
People with ADHD who take medication may have a lower risk of dangerous behaviors, such as criminality, addiction and suicidal ideations, according to a new study. ADHD affects around five percent of children and 2.5 percent of adults globally, roughly 200 million people. It is linked to increased risks of suicidal behaviors, substance abuse, accidental injuries, transport accidents and criminality if people do not seek treatment. An international team of researchers wanted to establish if medication reduces these risks. Researchers from the University of Southampton and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found that for two years of treatment with ADHD medication, people who took the drugs were less likely to experience these harmful incidents than those who didn't take medication. Around 22 million Americans are estimated to have ADHD and just over half of these are prescribed medication to manage their symptoms, which can include impulsiveness, disorganization and difficulty focusing. Medications are broadly classified into two main categories: stimulants and non-stimulants. Stimulants, the most common type, include methylphenidate and amphetamine-based medications that improve the transmission of the brain chemical dopamine which affects mood, motivation and movement. Non-stimulant options like atomoxetine, clonidine, and guanfacine can also be used, if stimulants are not effective or well tolerated. These help improve the transmission of norepinephrine, a hormone that helps with alertness and focus. Some of the best known brand names for ADHD medications include Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, Focalin, Concerta, and Daytrana. Exactly why the condition occurs is not completely understood, but ADHD tends to run in families, suggesting genes may play a part. It is surprisingly common and as diagnosis has risen, so too have prescriptions for ADHD medication. From 2012 to 2022, the number of annual stimulant prescriptions increased by 57.9 percent, reaching 79.6 million, according to the DEA. In the new study, researchers examined multiple population and health records in Sweden linked by unique personal identification numbers assigned to every resident in the country. The team used a novel study design called a 'trial emulation' to simulate a trial using existing real-world data from 148,581 people with ADHD. Comparing those who had started any type of ADHD medication within three months of diagnosis with those who hadn't, they examined the records over the following two years. They found any form of medication reduced the first occurrence of four of the five incidents (with accidental injury being the exception) and all five outcomes when considering recurring incidents. Those taking stimulant medication were associated with the lowest incident rates, compared to non-stimulant medications. Methylphenidate was the most commonly prescribed drug, the researchers found. The likelihood was most reduced amongst people exhibiting a recurring pattern of behavior, such as multiple suicide attempts, numerous drug relapses or repeat offending. Medication didn't reduce the risk of a first-time accidental injury, but did reduce the risk of recurring ones. The study is the first of its kind to show the beneficial effect of ADHD medication on these broader clinical outcomes using a novel statistical method and data representative of all patients in routine clinical care from a whole country. 'This finding is consistent with most guidelines that generally recommend stimulants as the first-line treatment, followed by non-stimulants,' explains Dr Zheng Chang, senior author of the study from the Karolinska Institute. 'There is an ongoing discussion regarding whether methylphenidate [a stimulant medication for ADHD] should be included in the World Health Organization model list of essential medications, and we hope this research will help to inform this debate.' Co-senior author on the paper Samuele Cortese, a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Professor at the University of Southampton added: 'The failure form clinical services to provide timely treatments that reduce these important outcomes represents a major ethical issue that needs to be addressed with urgency, with the crucial input of people with lived experience.'
