The definitive maternity pay guide for NHS resident doctors. Stop leaving thousands of pounds on the table.
And it costs them. A lot.
Missing one qualifying date or misunderstanding continuous service can drop you from £18,700 OMP to £10,000 SMP — a difference of nearly £8,000.
Changing trusts during training can feel like it resets everything. It doesn't have to — but you need to know the rules before HR gets it wrong.
BMA documents, NHS Employers circulars, deanery FAQs — often contradictory, always exhausting to navigate while working full time and pregnant.
Based on a foundation/core trainee salary of £38,831 with 2026 SMP rate of £194.32/week.
The difference is ~£8,000 — and it is entirely avoidable with the right information. This guide costs £14.99. The maths speaks for itself.
From the moment you find out you're pregnant to returning to work — with real-life scenarios, email templates, and a printable checklist.
Why this guide exists and how to use it
Risk assessments, antenatal rights, and advocacy
OMP, SMP, Maternity Allowance, adoption leave
Why timing matters more than you think
Locum shifts, KIT days, MDO, GMC + calculator
Your printable pre-leave action plan
Real errors, real consequences, all avoidable
Copy-paste emails ready to send to HR
Preterm, neonatal care, stillbirth, miscarriage
BMA, NHS Employers, gov.uk and more
LTFT, SuppoRTT, breastfeeding, childcare
Paternity leave, SPL, and how to share
19 frequently asked questions with direct links
Calculate your exact dates and pay estimate
Reviews from doctors who read early versions of the guide.
"I had no idea I was entitled to OMP across two trusts. This guide saved me from a decision that would have cost me thousands."
"The email templates alone are worth it. I copied the HR email and got a response in 24 hours that confirmed my full entitlement."
"Written by a doctor who actually went through it. Not HR jargon. Clear, honest, and exactly what I needed at 18 weeks pregnant."
Price rises to £24.99 soon. Get instant access to the handbook, the interactive calculator, and all future updates.
Get Instant Access →Delivered instantly as PDF + HTML. Includes the interactive calculator.
Enter your key dates and salary to instantly calculate your qualifying deadlines, pay entitlement, and accrued annual leave. Free to use, no sign-up required.
Enter your key dates and salary to instantly calculate your maternity pay entitlement, all qualifying deadlines, and what you need to do next.
Want the full guide with email templates, checklists, and real-life scenarios?
Get the Handbook for £14.99 →I'm a Foundation Year 2 doctor and mother of twins. I wrote this guide because I spent an enormous amount of time during my own pregnancy piecing together information from BMA documents, NHS Employers circulars, deanery FAQs, and HR departments who sometimes gave me contradictory answers.
It was exhausting. And I was doing it while sleep-deprived, emotionally stretched, and trying to be a competent doctor at the same time.
This guide is what I wish had existed. Not a dry policy document — a practical, honest walkthrough of everything you actually need to know, written by a doctor who lived it.
No doctor should have to figure this out alone.
FY2 Doctor, NHS England
Mother of twins — navigated the entire process personally
Experienced with LTFT, SuppoRTT, and returning to work after maternity leave
Founder of Scrubs & Strollers — the maternity resource for NHS doctors
Everything you need to know about maternity pay, rights, and returning to work — written by a doctor who lived it.
🔒 Secure checkout via Stripe · Instant access by email · VAT included
After purchase you will receive your PDF by email, plus a password to access the interactive HTML version with the live calculator at scrubsandstrollers.co.uk/handbook
You receive both a PDF (for printing and reading offline) and an HTML file (which includes the fully interactive maternity pay calculator).
It is primarily written for NHS resident doctors in England on the 2016 Terms and Conditions, though the majority is relevant across grades. Some processes differ in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Yes. The launch price of £14.99 is for a limited time to gather early reviews. It will move to £24.99 shortly. Buy now to lock in the lower price.
No. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional HR advice. Always verify entitlements with your HR department, deanery, and the BMA.
Yes. SMP rates are updated each April. When figures change, buyers receive the updated version at no extra cost.
Products, services, and resources I personally use and recommend for NHS doctors navigating pregnancy, maternity leave, and returning to work.
⚠️ Some links below are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I genuinely believe in.
The official BMA guidance on maternity rights for NHS doctors. Free to access — every doctor should bookmark this.
Visit →Official NHS Employers guidance on Terms and Conditions, pay circulars, and maternity policy documents.
Visit →If you don't qualify for SMP, Maternity Allowance may apply. Check eligibility and apply directly here.
Visit →NHS England's programme for doctors returning to training after 3+ months away. Includes coaching, supernumerary placements, and more.
Visit →New from April 2025 — a separate entitlement for parents of babies requiring neonatal hospital care. Find out if you qualify.
Visit →Support and information for anyone affected by pregnancy loss. Confidential helpline and online resources available.
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