Letter to MPs re: maternal mental health report
Dear [Name of MP]
I hope you have seen the report just released by the Royal College of Midwives into maternal mental
health. It highlights some real problems I care a great deal about and which I want to bring to your
attention.
According to a Netmums survey that features in the RCM’s report, well over half of women report
problems with how they feel after giving birth, up to and including depression. Despite this, a
quarter of the women surveyed said they had not even been asked about their maternal mental
health by the team looking after them. Student midwives report concerns about how effectively
their training is preparing them to deal with these issues. Added to this, midwives do not feel they
have the time to offer enough support to women.
The enduring shortage of midwives in the NHS in England continues to impact on the quality of care
provided to women. Almost two-thirds of midwives say it impacts on the time they have to spend
with women.
I understand that the Government has identified postnatal care and in particular maternal mental
health as a priority. They must live up to this promise. This situation must improve.
The RCM has made a series of recommendations, and I would like to know whether you support
these, and ask you to write to the Secretary of State for Health to ask him if he will support them
too.
The RCM are calling for: a specialist perinatal mental health midwives in every maternity unit;
establishing more mother and baby units to care for mothers with mental health difficulties; and
commissioners and providers of maternity services to develop and implement a perinatal mental
health strategy.
We cannot continue papering over the cracks.
I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for your time.
Yours sincerely