Postnatal care

Resource impact statement

No significant resource impact is anticipated

The NICE guideline on postnatal care updates and replaces NICE guideline CG37 (published in 2006 and updated in 2015).

We do not expect this update to have a significant impact on resources, that is:

• the resource impact of implementing any single guideline recommendation in England will be less than £1 million per year (or £1,800 per 100,000 population) and
• the resource impact of implementing the whole guideline in England will be less than £5 million per year (or £9,000 per 100,000 population).

This is because the recommendations are expected to reduce variation and any changes are around the timings of appointments rather than requiring a change in resources. For women with perineal pain, it is recommended that they are seen earlier, and that their treatment begins earlier to prevent further complications. This may also result in an increase in referrals to secondary care for women who would normally have been seen by their GP, but this is not expected to result in a significant resource impact nationally.

Postnatal care services are commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. Providers are NHS hospital trusts, community providers, primary care providers, GPs and secondary care providers.