Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) face-to-face meetings and (b) phone appointments for maternity care on patient outcomes.

We are working with the National Health Service as it delivers its three-year maternity and neonatal plan to ensure that care is always delivered in a personalised way. This includes telephone care, which has a place as part of some personalised pathways that also include face-to-face care.

The NHS in England continues to monitor evidence of the impact of face-to-face and phone appointments in maternity care, to ensure all women receive safe and compassionate care which best meets their individual needs.