Finding out you are pregnant can be an exciting and daunting time, Gateshead Maternity Services are here to support you. After finding out you are pregnant, you can self-refer to Gateshead Maternity Services directly, without needing to see your GP beforehand.
Please follow the steps below to register with the service:
Step 1 – Get your NHS number
Ensure you have your NHS number before filling in the form. You can find yours by logging into the NHS App or your account on the NHS website, on any document or letter sent to you by the NHS, such as a prescription, test result or appointment letter, or calling your GP practice.
Step 2 – Check your dates
Knowing the first day of your last menstrual period is important as it helps us to arrange your booking appointment in time for key pregnancy screening tests. We recommend completing your self-referral when you are around 6 weeks pregnant. A midwife will then contact you to arrange your antenatal booking appointment, which usually takes place between 8 and 10 weeks of pregnancy. If you are unsure of your dates, please provide the date that you believe is the closest estimate.
Step 3 – Check you are eligible for Gateshead Maternity community care
It is important that you submit your self-referral to the correct maternity unit for your community care. This is the hospital in the same locality as your GP practice, as a community midwife attached to your GP will provide your antenatal and postnatal community care. This does not affect your choice of where to give birth, and you can still choose a different hospital to the locality you live in.
Gateshead maternity community care covers the following GP practices:
Beacon View Medical Centre
Bensham Family Practice
Bewick Road Surgery
Birtley Medical Group
Blaydon GP Surgery
Bridges Medical Practice
Central Gateshead Medical Group
Chainbridge Medical Partnership
Chopwell Primary Healthcare Centre
Crawcrook Medical Centre
Crowhall Medical Group
Fell Cottage Surgery
Fell Tower Medical Centre
Glenpark and Teams Medical Services
Grange Road Medical Practice
Hollyhurst Medical Centre
Longrigg Medical Centre
Millennium Family Practice
Oldwell Surgery
Pelaw Medical Group
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre
Second Street Surgery
St Albans Medical Group
Sunniside Surgery
The Whickham Practice
Wrekenton Medical Group
If you are registered with a GP practice not listed above, you will need to self-refer to another maternity service. You can review all the options here or contact your GP practice for advice. If you wish to give birth at Gateshead Maternity Services, you can still express this wish at your antenatal booking appointment later.
Step 4 – Complete the registration form below
Self-refer your pregnancy here
If you need help with the self-referral or do not have internet access to complete the form, please call 0191 445 5306 to speak to our community team. You can also contact your GP practice.
What happens next?
Once you have submitted the registration form, a member of our community midwifery team will contact you by telephone to arrange your antenatal booking appointment and give you access to your hand-held electronic records called Badger Notes. You can find out more about your digital maternity record here.