This page provides information about the Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021, the amendment made in 2022, and related information. It also includes information about making claims when primary maternity care provision is impacted by COVID-19.
Last updated: 18 August 2023
Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021
The Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 (the 2021 Notice) sets out the service specifications and payment rules for remuneration of those practitioners with an authorisation to claim for the provision of community-based primary maternity services.
In 2021, the previous Primary Maternity Services Notice (the 2007 Notice), was updated so it could better deliver funding allocated in Budget 2020 for additional primary maternity care to women with complex needs, and to women living in rural areas.
The changes came into effect when the 2021 Notice was implemented on 29 November 2021.
The 2021 Notice was published in the New Zealand Gazette on 30 June 2021.
- Find the Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 on the New Zealand Gazette site
- Download the Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 (Word, 135 KB)
- Download the Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 (PDF, 671 KB)
On 1 July 2022 the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 was enacted and the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act (NZPHD) 2000 was repealed. In 2021 the Primary Maternity Services Notice was issued as a section 88 notice pursuant to the NZPHD Act 2000 and when this was repealed in 2022, the Primary Maternity Services Notice became a section 94 notice issued pursuant to the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022.
Primary Maternity Services Amendment Notice 2023
The Primary Maternity Services Amendment Notice 2023 implements a five percent increase to certain fees listed in Schedule 1 of the Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 (the Notice). The Amendment Notice was published in the New Zealand Gazette on 30 June 2023 (Notice No. 2023-go2773). The new fee schedule will come into effect on 1 July 2023.
Download the Primary Maternity Services Amendment Notice 2023 (PDF, 159 KB)
Primary Maternity Services Amendment Notice 2022
The Primary Maternity Services Amendment Notice 2022 implements a three percent increase to certain fees listed in Schedule 1 of the 2021 Primary Maternity Services Notice. The Amendment Notice was published in the New Zealand Gazette on 30 June 2022 (Notice No. 2022-go2612). The new fee schedule comes into effect on 1 July 2022.
This fee uplift is reflective of cost pressure adjustments as determined by Labour Cost Index and Consumer Price Index for the 2021/2022 financial year.
Published 1 July 2022
Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 Guide
The Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 Guide is designed to help providers of primary maternity services understand the 2021 Notice and what has changed from the Notice issued in 2007.
Published 29 November 2021
Maternity Facility Access Agreement
The Maternity Facility Access Agreement (Access Agreement) is a contract setting out the obligations of facilities and LMCs when they access these facilities to provide care to women (antenatally, during labour and birth, postnatally). The Access Agreement was included as Schedule 3 in the 2007 Notice. It has been removed from the 2021 Notice and is now hosted on the Ministry’s website as an associated document to the 2021 Notice.
The Access Agreement will be reviewed and updated as needed.
- Download the Maternity Facility Access Agreement (Word, 189 KB)
- Download the Maternity Facility Access Agreement (PDF, 225 KB)
Published 29 November 2021
Maternity Ultrasound Clinical Indication Codes
Primary maternity ultrasound scans will continue to be funded under the 2021 Notice. Authorised providers may claim a fee for a maternity ultrasound scan from the 2021 Notice if the following criteria are met:
- an appropriate referral has been received; and
- a code corresponding to a relevant clinical indication is stated on the referral form and on the claim.
The clinical indication codes are being reviewed by the Maternity Ultrasound Advisory Group and will be updated as necessary in the near future.
- Download the approved Maternity Ultrasound Clinical Indication Codes (Word, 184 KB)
- Download the approved Maternity Ultrasound Clinical Indication Codes (PDF, 124 KB)
Published 29 November 2021
Transfer Support Module
Where an authorised provider accompanies a woman or baby in an air or road ambulance from their home or elsewhere in the community or from a primary maternity facility to a secondary or tertiary maternity facility, the provider may claim a 'Transfer support' module. The purpose of this payment is to contribute to the cost of the provider returning to their home or vehicle.
Download further information to see the fee structure, a spoke and hub table and the list of codes to be entered when making a claim for this module:
- Transfer Support module further information (Word, 188 KB)
- Transfer Support module further information (PDF, 186 KB)
Published 29 November 2021
Rural Practice and Travel Supplements
The 'Rural practice and travel supplements' (RPaTS) are the modules available for claiming by LMCs for travel, and for the provision of care to women who live in rural areas. There is an RPaTS attached to each of the antenatal trimester modules, the labour and birth modules, and the postnatal module.
For explanation of the Urban Accessibility (UA) classification, see the applicable fees when making a claim for this module, and access the RPaTS Regional Classification Look Up Tool, go to Rural practice and travel supplements (RPaTS) for Lead Maternity Carers.
Additional Care Supplements
The 'Additional care supplements' (ACS) are the modules available for claiming by LMCs for the provision of any additional care required by a woman due to their social or clinical complexity. The modules also remunerate provision of care to women who belong to those populations most at-risk of adverse outcomes. There is an ACS attached to antenatal care, labour and birth care and postnatal care.
The criteria for each ACS differ and each criterion is weighted: low, moderate or high. Each weighting has a different fee associated with it and the total amount payable for the applicable ACS is the total of the fees for the criteria which have been met. For each ACS, there is a maximum fee payable.
Criteria weighted as “low”: $25
Criteria weighted as “moderate”: $50
Criteria weighted as “high”: $90
Antenatal ACS maximum: $350
Labour and birth ACS maximum: $100
Postnatal ACS maximum: $250
- Current criteria for the Antenatal ACS, the Labour and birth ACS and the Postnatal ACS (Word, 26 KB)
- Current criteria for the Antenatal ACS, the Labour and birth ACS and the Postnatal ACS (PDF, 129 KB)
Published 29 November 2021
Applying for a discretionary payment
Discretionary approval for payment of modules in the Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021: Home birth planning and supplies – partial and Antenatal additional care supplement - partial
The Primary Maternity Services Notice 2021 (the 2021 Notice) partial modules for Home birth planning and supplies (Schedule 1, payment 3.8) and Antenatal additional care supplement (Schedule 1, payment 2.16) both require discretionary approval by the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) for payment for that partial module.
Written application for a discretionary decision on payment of these two partial modules will no longer be required from 20 April 2022 as long as all of the following applicable conditions are met by the claimant LMC:
- The relevant conditions apply for a partial payment:
- For the Antenatal additional care supplement – partial, as set out in clause DA35(5), where the woman experiences a first or second trimester pregnancy loss; or changes LMC; or clinical responsibility transfers to secondary maternity services during the first or second trimester of pregnancy.
- For the Home birth planning and supplies – partial, where the LMC attends an unplanned home birth, as set out in clause DA42(3), or where an LMC attends a second trimester pregnancy loss at a woman’s home, as set out in clause DA42(4).
- The care provided by the claimant meets the relevant service specifications and payment rules for the module in question.
- The claimant has read and adheres to the Antenatal additional care supplement criteria, as required for the full Antenatal additional care supplement module payment.
- The claimant documents and retains proof that these criteria have been met and provides this proof upon request for audit purposes.
If a claimant does not meet the criteria specified above, they must continue to make written application to the Ministry for a discretionary decision on payment of a partial module. If a claimant makes a claim for one of the above stated partial modules that is processed automatically, but which is later found not meet the criteria specified, then they may be required to make repayment under clause CB2(6).
Registration Form 2021 Notice
Download the paper Registration Form for services provided under the 2021 Notice from Maternity claims on the Te Whatu Ora website.
Consultation on changes to the Notice
Implementing funding of $85 million (over four years) allocated in Budget 2020 required the 2007 Notice to be updated so it could deliver funding for additional primary maternity care to women with complex needs, and to women living in rural areas. The Ministry of Health undertook a public consultation on proposed changes to the 2007 Notice from 4 September to 13 November 2020.