Wales rolls out nationwide digital maternity record system across NHS

Nation.Cymru staff

Wales has become the first nation in the UK to introduce a single digital maternity record system across every NHS health board.

Technology firm System C confirmed it has completed the rollout of its BadgerNet Maternity platform across all seven Welsh health boards, replacing a mix of separate local systems and paper-held maternity notes.

Around 26,000 babies are born in Wales each year, and the new system is designed to allow expectant parents and clinicians to access maternity information through a shared digital platform regardless of where care is delivered.

Parents will now be able to view appointments, records and updates through a single app, while healthcare professionals can securely access patient information at the point of care.

The national rollout forms part of a three-year agreement covering all Welsh health boards.

Health officials say the move is intended to create a more joined-up experience for families during pregnancy and after birth, while reducing administrative pressures on NHS staff.

Previously, expectant parents often carried paper notes between appointments and repeated information to different healthcare teams.

Under the new system, maternity information is digitally recorded once and shared securely between services and locations.

Supporters of the scheme say this should help reduce duplication, improve communication between teams and minimise the risk of errors caused by missing or incomplete records.

The system also creates a national dataset linking maternity information across Wales, allowing health boards and policymakers to identify trends, compare outcomes and plan services more effectively.

Anthony Tracey, Director of Digital at Hywel Dda University Health Board, which was the final health board in Wales to adopt the system, described the rollout as a major step forward.

“The rollout of BadgerNet across Wales is a vitally important step forward in modernising our maternity services and providing a consistent service across the country,” he said.

“By giving expectant parents direct access to their information and enabling clinicians to share data more effectively, we are strengthening safety, transparency and consistency in maternity care nationwide.”

Guy Lucchi, Managing Director of Healthcare at System C, said the national approach would allow information to “flow with the patient, not the organisation”.

Joined up system

He said the joined-up system would reduce duplication, free up clinical time and support earlier identification of risks during pregnancy.

“Crucially, linking maternity data at a national level provides powerful insight to drive improvement,” he said.

“Health Boards can benchmark, plan services with greater confidence and ensure resources are targeted where they are needed most, while expectant parents benefit from clearer communication and a more connected experience of care.”

Digital transformation has become an increasing focus across NHS Wales in recent years, with growing emphasis on improving interoperability between health systems and reducing reliance on paper-based records.