The National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements) (Scotland) Regulations 2004

Maternity medical services

7.—(1) A provider whose agreement includes the provision of maternity medical services shall provide–

(a) to female patients who have been diagnosed as pregnant all necessary maternity medical services throughout the antenatal period;

(b) to female patients and their babies all necessary maternity medical services throughout the postnatal period other than neonatal checks;

(c) all necessary maternity medical services to female patients whose pregnancy has terminated as a result of miscarriage or abortion or, where the provider has a conscientious objection to the termination of pregnancy, prompt referral to another provider (by any arrangement) of primary medical services who does not have such conscientious objections.

(2) In this paragraph–

“antenatal period” means the period from the start of the pregnancy to the onset of labour;

“maternity medical services” means–

(a)

in relation to female patients (other than babies) all primary medical services relating to pregnancy, excluding intra partum care; and

(b)

in relation to babies, any primary medical services necessary in their first 14 days of life;

“postnatal period” means the period starting from the conclusion of delivery of the baby or the patient’s discharge from secondary care services, whichever is the later, and ending on the fourteenth day after birth.