Source · Select Committees · Petitions Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
Paragraph: 18
We welcome the Government and NHS England’s planned programme of capacity- building for perinatal mental...
Recommendation
We welcome the Government and NHS England’s planned programme of capacity- building for perinatal mental health services over the next 2–3 years. However, new parents are already experiencing the mental health impact of covid-19. Plans for long-term capacity-building must be adapted to meet new needs and should sit alongside more immediate investment to address the mental health needs of new parents today—as we recommended last year.
Government Response Summary
The government details new and existing investments, including £100 million for bespoke mental health support for new and expectant parents, and outlines the expansion of NHS perinatal mental health hubs and Mother and Baby units.
Paragraph Reference:
18
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
In April 2021 the NHS announced 26 new hubs that will bring together maternity services, reproductive health and psychological therapy under one roof as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. Around 6,000 women will receive care and treatment for a wide range of mental health issues from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after giving birth to others with a severe fear of childbirth. Five years ago, 40% of the country had no access to specialist perinatal mental health care. Now, there is a specialist community perinatal mental health service in every Clinical Commissioning Group area of England and over 30,000 women were seen in specialist perinatal mental health community services in 2019/20. GPs are required to offer a 6–8 week maternal postnatal health check for new mothers as an additional appointment to that for the baby. This should include a review of the mother’s mental health and wellbeing, in line with NICE guidance. NHS England and Improvement is expanding the capacity of inpatient Mother and Baby units. This will enable women to receive specialist inpatient care while remaining with their baby, allowing them to develop a bond with their baby and remain as close as possible to their families. The Chancellor also announced £100 million in the latest Spending Review for bespoke mental health support for new and expectant parents, with funding going towards staff Government Response: Impact of Covid-19 on new parents: one year on 3 training and interventions to strengthen and nurture the relationship between parent and child, which is critical to improving health outcomes for babies and the mental health of parents.