MUMS-TO-BE in Notts will have a new phone line printed on the back of pregnancy kits to get direct access to maternity services.

NHS bosses in Notts are changing the way mums are supported while they are pregnant, as well as during and after the birth.

An extra £1.5m a year is being spent on improving services to ensure people in all areas of the county can get the same levels of support.

Concerns had been raised that Notts mums were dealt with by too many people during pregnancy and did not know who to go to for help.

Under the proposals, every pregnant woman will be assigned a named midwife who will co-ordinate their care and deal with any problems.

A phone line will be printed on the back of pregnancy tests across the county – giving access to pregnancy advice and other services.

Previously, most mums would have been referred to services by their GP, though some were reluctant to do so.

Amanda Sullivan, director of quality and governance at NHS Notts County, spoke about the plans at a scrutiny committee last week.

She said: "Our vision is that as soon as women think they might be pregnant they are able to get access to good advice.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for women from all backgrounds to be able to get the right advice and support very early on.

"For a lot of women this is a significant life event so a lot of emotional support is required."

The planned changes include creating a separate area in labour wards for women with relatively simple and low-risk pregnancies.

It is hoped they will have a calmer, more relaxing labour as a result and will be less likely to need specialist help.

A longer-term proposal is for the most critically-ill newborn babies to be cared for only at the Queen's Medical Centre rather than at both Nottingham hospitals.

New midwives have been recruited to help put the plans into action and ensure women have more choice about where they give birth.

Twenty-three will be put in place at Nottingham hospitals as well as ten at King's Mill Hospital, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, and others in the community.

In 2008, 5,050 Notts mums gave birth at the QMC, 2,635 at King's Mill Hospital, 3,281 at City Hospital and 408 at home.

Dr Sullivan said "Women have told us that services are sometimes not very well joined up between the GP, midwives and hospitals.

"We want the pathway to feel more joined up for women.

"Regardless of what happens to them, they should know they have a midwife they can ring who understands what is happening to that person."

Information events are being held next month for residents and interest groups to have their say on the plans.

They take place at:

Richard Herrod Centre, Foxhill Road, Carlton, between 9.30am and 11.30am on December 1.

The Towers, Botany Avenue, Mansfield between 1pm and 3pm on December 2.

Aspley Community and Training Centre, off Minver Crescent, between 6pm and 8pm on December 7.

robert.parsons@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk