A new mobile app that would enable expectant parents to access their pregnancy records and care plans was a “big step forward”, a head midwife said.
The Badger Notes app will be available to patients at Kettering General Hospital (KGH) from Monday and it will manage all new maternity bookings at the site.
Expectant parents will be able to download the app before their first midwife or GP appointment, while those already under the hospital’s maternity care will also be invited to use it.
Kerry Williams, head of midwifery at KGH, said the app would make patients’ “experience more personal, more responsive, and ultimately more reassuring for every family we support”.
She said the introduction of the platform “means parents can access their notes anytime, see real-time updates from their care team, and feel more in control of their care”.
KGH said the new system will enable 24/7 access to pregnancy records via smartphone, tablet or PC, real-time updates from the care team and the ability to log key pregnancy events and preferences.
It will also provide access to personalised care plans and a “secure, centralised record that reduces duplication and paperwork”.
The hospital said that paper records for maternity patients will remain in use for a “short transition period”.
It added that a “support scheme” was available for families who may not have access to mobile data. Eligible patients can receive a free SIM card that includes data, calls and texts so they can access Badger Notes.
The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group said Northampton General Hospital aimed to introduce the app before the end of 2025.