Can I really take paid time off for Pregnancy appointments?

[GibraltarRocks]

Currently 10+2 and wanting to tell work soon. I have a lot of extra appointments due to increased risk, so consultants etc. Not sure who to inform of my pregnancy since our Line Manager left and we don't have a new one...

Can I really take paid time off to go to these appointments, plus travel to and from? Seems a bit generous to me.

Our usual policy at work is, if you have a Dr's appointment, make it for morning/evening and make the time you took off up with unpaid overtime, if you see what I mean. Does the same apply for Pregnancy related appointments? My hospital of choice is quite a way away so I'd be making up at least 4 hours each time!

I work for the NHS if that's any help

*shouldn't have to (not should)

Your work have absolutely no choice on this - time off for antenatal appointments has to be paid, even if you started the job yesterday.
I work 90 minutes drive from the hospital and the consultant was always running at least an hour late so in my first pregnancy I ended up missing whole days each time I saw the consultant - I felt bad but there was nothing I could do about it.
It's a bit different this time because I work very part time and haven't had any consultant appointments yet.

You should - although my employers gave me fuck all. I'm on zero-hours so they'd plan my shifts around my appointments. I complained, and my midwife wrote them a letter and nothing happened :/ but they also want you to only pee on your lunch break so they're pretty shitty employers anyway.

I've had to have loads of time off due to complications (was off Friday and had 2 half days this week for starters) and work have been fine. As pp have said legally they have to be but if they start to get arsey speak to hr or failing that acas

My work didn't let me have any paid time off for appointments. I am part time though, 21 hours a week but with a set rota. If I had an appointment booked on a work day, I had to swap a shift with somebody (example, my thursday shift for somebodys saturday). To be honest though,they were very very unsupportive and I got no extra breaks (busy kitchen environment, where you had to work 6 hours before a 20min sit down) and still expected to do all the cleaning, mopping, cleaning out fryers, ovens. Ended up leaving on sick at 32 weeks (planned on going to 35 weeks) as developed spd. Sorry, got on an angry rant then 😂 Am 40 weeks now... am hoping to find another job after Christmas as I really don't want to go back there!

@Lemondrop09 it has been awful. No risk assessment, sent to patients who were violent, had flu, shingles etc. Other members of staff being very vocal about me going home for my lunch (I would go home to relax for 30mins!)... when I was told my son's heart wasn't right and we needed more scans, more appointments etc all my emails were ignored. In the end I was signed off sick as they said baby was getting stressed out because I was stressed out. I had a MW appointment once at 3pm, I was on a 12-7pm shift. Appointment was 30mins. Was asked to take leave or switch to a 7-3pm shift as "I was not accommodating to the needs of the service". From Dec 10th to Dec 28th, I had 3 days off. Dec 17, 24 and 26th... not even days together!!

I am NOT going back, going to a new workplace!