Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) identification and (b) treatment of perinatal mental illnesses; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is committed to improving both the detection and treatment of perinatal mental illness.

The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health committed to invest £365 million from 2015/16 to 2020/21 in perinatal mental health services to ensure that by 2020/21 at least 30,000 more women each year are able to access evidence-based specialist mental health care during the perinatal period.

The NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019, includes a commitment for a further 24,000 women to be able to access specialist perinatal mental health care by 2023/24. Specialist care will also be available from preconception to 24 months after birth, which will provide an extra year of support. Support will also be extended to fathers and partners of women accessing specialist perinatal mental health services and maternity outreach clinics.