Winter is coming: How the NHS is stress-testing maternity care

Winter always puts the NHS under increased pressure, with winter illness affecting staff and patients. This year the NHS is running “stress test” exercise to see how well services will hold up with an increased demand.

The health services is predicting winter 2025 to be the busiest on record for A&Es and ambulance services. Maternity care is no exception to this demand.

Why maternity services matter in winter

It goes without sayings that maternity services are a vital area of the NHS. Over 1500 babies are born every day in England. Add in winter viruses, rising admissions and stretched community services and it is clear why maternity resilience is so important. 

What is “stress test”?

This exercise is approached as a "what if" drill. Local NHS leaders are assessing the strength of their winter strategies through scenario exercises that include staff shortages, a swift rise in demand, and several virus outbreaks. Teams are tasked with pinpointing patients who are particularly susceptible to winter viruses and at a higher risk of hospital admissions, in order to deliver focused care and confirm they receive the necessary vaccinations.

Prevention 

Alongside the stress test, the NHS is pushing vaccination campaigns, making sure pregnant women take up the flu and whooping cough jabs to cut risks before winter illnesses take hold. The first campaign launched was for pregnant women, named “Stay strong. Get vaccinated” for flu, RSV and whooping cough. Since the start of September pregnant women and children have been able to get their flu vaccinations.  

The NHS is also ramping up staff vaccination programmes with the aim of increasing uptake of the flu vaccine for frontline staff ahead of winter. 

Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director of Immunisation at UK Health Security Agency, said: “Our new winter marketing campaign has a clear message: ‘Stay strong. Get vaccinated’. 

“If you’re pregnant or have a long term health condition, you are at greater risk from serious flu complications. Vaccination protects you and your family. If you’re pregnant it also protects your baby, both in the womb and for the first few months of life”. 

“Don’t wait, if you are eligible, please come forward-it could be the most important appointment you make this winter, helping to keep you out of hospital”. 

Winter pressures will not disappear but it is about the NHS being ready and prepared. For maternity teams that means making sure mothers and babies still get safe, responsive care when the rest of the NHS is stretched to its limits. 

Contact our team

Browne Jacobson’s maternity resources hub provides resources and information about our specialist team and includes our contact details. Please get in touch if we can assist your organisation.