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 proportion of visiting restrictions that can be lifted in maternity services without services becoming covid-19-insecure.

Risk assessments on the safety of maternity services which would include an assessment of visiting restrictions as part of COVID-19 infection control, are conducted locally by trusts. NHS England and NHS Improvement therefore do not hold this data.

On 8 September, NHS England and NHS Improvement published a Framework to assist all National Health Service trusts to reintroduce access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women in maternity services in England, developed in partnership with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and the Society and College of Radiographers.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/09/par001599-framework-for-the-reintroduction-of-visitors-throughout-maternity-services-sep-2020.pdf

NHS England and NHS Improvement expect trusts to use this Framework and consider how access for partners, visitors and other supporters of pregnant women can be safely reintroduced to maternity services as a priority. The Framework recommends a stepwise approach for NHS trusts to take, following a meaningful and documented risk assessment, so any necessary changes can be made before relaxing current stringent approaches.