Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a duty to refer new mothers experiencing mental distress to appropriate local services.

We recognise that supporting women’s mental health is a crucial aspect of care at all stages of pregnancy and post-partum.

General practitioners (GPs) can offer initial support for mild to moderate mental health problems including depression and anxiety. If a pregnant woman needs further support, a range of specialist mental health services have been made available to access during the perinatal period. For women with or at risk of more serious mental health problems, such as severe depression, who are planning a pregnancy, pregnant or have a baby up to two years old, specialist perinatal mental health services provide care in all 42 integrated care system areas of England. As of June 2025, Maternal Mental Health Services are now available across all areas of England. They are available for women experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, their maternity or neonatal experience, such as post-natal depression. Women can be referred to these services, which are often community-based, by any healthcare professional, including midwives, health visitors, GPs, hospital-based teams, mental health services and social workers. Self-referrals are accepted by some services.

Additionally, 165 Mother and Baby Unit beds have now been commissioned, with 153 currently operational. These units provide inpatient care to women who experience severe mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy, including postpartum psychosis. A mother could be admitted to a mother and baby unit for treatment of severe depression or an anxiety disorder.

NHS England guidance sets out that all women who have given birth should be offered a postnatal check-up with their GP after six to eight weeks. This check-up provides an important opportunity for women to be listened to by their GP in a discreet, supportive environment, and for women to be assessed and supported not just in their physical recovery post-birth but also their mental health. In line with the National Health Service guidance, during this appointment, GPs have a duty to ask every woman about her mental health, and to prioritise identifying and addressing serious mental health concerns such as severe depression. This means any woman needing extra mental health support can be referred to primary care mental health support including Talking Therapies or to a specialist perinatal mental health team, if appropriate.

On 17 July 2025, the Prime Minister also announced the launch of Diagnosis Connect, a new service that will better-connect patients to both local and national charities. This will ensure that patients are referred directly to trusted charities and support organisations as soon as they are diagnosed, providing personalised advice, information and guidance to help them manage their condition and feel more in control. This support will include physical and mental wellbeing in the perinatal period.