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 potential impact of racial disparities in maternity care on the mental health and wellbeing of women from ethnic minority communities.

The Government recognises that women from ethnic minority backgrounds may face unique challenges when it comes to maternal mental health, and that perinatal mental health difficulties commonly affect both women and men, and can adversely impact parent-infant relationships.

Significant progress has been made to ensure that women experiencing moderate to severe and complex perinatal mental health problems can access specialist perinatal mental health services. For example, mental health services are now available 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 or labour. This is delivered through specialist perinatal mental health services, maternal mental health services, and Mother and Baby Units. Work is also ongoing to modernise the Mental Health Act so that it is fit for the 21st century, redressing the balance of power from the system to the patient, and ensuring that people with the most severe mental health conditions get better, more personalised care.

No overall assessment has been made on the potential impact of racial disparities in maternity care on the mental health and wellbeing of women from ethnic minority communities.