Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support families who have experienced an hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy event, including the provision of mental health support.

The Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) programme provides independent, standardised, and family focused investigations for families, and where relevant, makes safety recommendations to improve services at a local level and across the whole maternity healthcare system in England. All cases of term hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) are referred to the programme for external and independent review. As part of the programme’s investigatory process, families are provided a named MNSI investigator as a dedicated point of contact, and are also supported by local trusts.

Mental health services are also available in all areas of England for women who have pre-existing mental health needs prior to their pregnancy, as well as for those who experience mental health difficulties during or as a result of their pregnancy, labour, or birth.