A NEW app has been trialled among Bolton mums to reduce the number of women going in hospital for inductions.

Instead of having to make trips to the hospital two or three times a week to check their blood pressure mums are being given the tools to check their own health at home and share it with the hospital via an app on their smartphone or tablet.

Royal Bolton Hospital's trial of the HaMpton BP app started in May and staff have been working with up to 26 women at any one time.

Antenatal midwifery matron Heather Rawlinson, aged 53, said: "Women are more relaxed, less stressed and their blood pressure tends not to rise when they are at home.

"This app allows them to remain at home if they have high blood pressure and monitor their symptoms at home."

Mums-to-be can log in online through the app and submit the results of their blood pressure and urine tests at set times each day.

The results are checked daily by midwives at the hospital who can call mums in if there is a problem, however the app can also alert women when there maybe an issue and advise them to call the hospital.

Mrs Rawlinson, who has worked at the hospital since 2011, said: "The mums are happy with it and we have reduced admissions and inductions from those women."

All the midwives in the antenatal day unit have been trained to use the software and because the information comes in at a regular time they have been able to build it into their day quite easily said Mrs Rawlinson.