Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Fourth Report of Session 2021–22 of the Health and Social Care Committee, The safety of maternity services in England, HC 19, published on 6 July 2021, whether he plans to implement the recommendation on the development of guidance for maternity services on (a) proactively involving fathers in those services and (b) using fatherhood to engage men in the health service.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Health and Social Care Select Committee's inquiry in 2021 examined evidence relating to the safety of maternity services. Its report, The Safety of Maternity Services in England, made 15 recommendations. The Government's response to the recommendations made by the inquiry is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-of-maternity-services-in-england-government-response/the-governments-response-to-the-health-and-social-care-committee-report-safety-of-maternity-services-in-england

We are not aware of a specific recommendation made by this inquiry regarding the development of guidance for maternity services on involving fathers in those services and using fatherhood to engage men in the health service. The Government response did, however, set out plans to address variations in the quality of care and outcomes, tackle poor workplace culture, consider workforce levels, implement training for delivering safe care, and address disparities in maternal and neonatal outcomes.

We are determined to ensure women, and their families, receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care, and we will continue to work with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan, a key theme of which is listening to and working with women and families, including fathers, with compassion.

We are committed to improving men’s health in England, bringing a renewed focus on preventing adverse health outcomes and reducing health inequalities. On 28 November 2024, we announced plans for a Men’s Health Strategy at a Men’s Health Summit, held in partnership with Movember and hosted by Arsenal and the Premier League. The strategy will look at the outcomes and evidence surrounding men’s health and the action we need to take to improve the health of all men. This will include consideration of how to prevent and tackle the biggest health problems. The strategy will be informed by a call for evidence to understand what is working and what more needs to be done.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to increase levels of mental health (a) support and (b) assessments for fathers during perinatal periods.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Support is already available for expectant and new fathers and partners who experience mental health difficulties during the perinatal period. Partners of women accessing specialist perinatal and maternal mental health services should be offered an evidence-based assessment for their own mental health and signposting to support as required. In January 2025, the Department announced £126 million for the continuation of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes in 2025/26 in 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation. This includes £36.5 million for bespoke perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, including for fathers.

In addition, NHS Talking Therapies services are also available for fathers and partners who need support with any mental health problems during the perinatal period. Anyone can refer themselves online via the National Health Service website or by contacting their general practitioner.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to introduce initiatives to include expectant and new fathers in mental health checks as part of routine antenatal and postnatal care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Support is already available for expectant and new fathers and partners who experience mental health difficulties during the perinatal period. Partners of women accessing specialist perinatal and maternal mental health services should be offered an evidence-based assessment for their own mental health and signposting to support as required. In January 2025, the Department announced £126 million for the continuation of the Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes in 2025/26 in 75 local authorities with high levels of deprivation. This includes £36.5 million for bespoke perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support, including for fathers.

In addition, NHS Talking Therapies services are also available for fathers and partners who need support with any mental health problems during the perinatal period. Anyone can refer themselves online via the National Health Service website or by contacting their general practitioner.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of adding (a) chikungunya, (b) dengue, (c) zika and (d) other mosquito-borne diseases onto the list of notifiable diseases published by the UK Health Security Agency.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Dengue and chikungunya viruses are notifiable pathogens, so laboratories in England that test human samples must inform the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) if they are identified. The specific mosquito species that transmit these viruses is not established in the United Kingdom, so there is a negligible risk to public health. Therefore, they are not included in the list of infectious diseases that medical practitioners must notify UKHSA about if they treat a patient who they think is infected with that disease.

Infectious disease data for cases of chikungunya, dengue, and Zika are obtained from the UKHSA’s Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) and details are shared for purposes of national surveillance. Currently, the RIPL is the only UK laboratory providing accredited testing for zika and chikungunya viruses, and for many of the other relevant mosquito borne viruses and bacteria. Confirmed and probable cases are therefore captured already by UKHSA, and it would be rare for clinicians to make a clinical diagnosis for these diseases without requesting testing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that NHS services (a) engage with new fathers and (b) record their details alongside mothers in their baby's health records.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service’s three-year plan for maternity and neonatal services recognises that listening and responding to all women and families, including fathers, is an essential part of safe and high-quality care.

Maternity and neonatal voices partnerships are forums that are in place to ensure that service user voices, including fathers, are at the heart of decision-making in maternity and neonatal services. They bring together the staff who commission and provide maternity services with those who use those services. All members of the partnership take responsibility for the development and delivery of agreed workplans.

Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services also offer mental health assessments and signposting to support as required for fathers/partners of women accessing services. Many NHS trusts have also implemented Family Integrated Care, a model of neonatal care which encourages the involvement of parents, including fathers, which in turn can benefit infant health outcomes.

Once a child is registered with the General Registry Office of Births and Deaths (GRO), the NHS receives information showing the parents listed on the birth certificate. Due to a period where not all GRO relationships were added to the NHS record, the NHS is currently working to ensure this happens going forward, and this work should be complete by Autumn 2025.

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Charlie Maynard; Gregor Poynton

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Charlie Maynard; Gregor Poynton

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Charlie Maynard; Gregor Poynton

Found: Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar (Labour; Dudley) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney) Gregor Poynton