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More than 500 new NHS mental health roles needed to support mums during pregnancy and after birth

More than 500 new NHS mental health roles needed to support mums during pregnancy and after birth

A new report warns thousands of women are missing out on vital perinatal mental health support

Caucasian pregnant woman is discussing something during a childbirth class or pregnancy support group. Focus on belly, no faces.

MadeForMums

Published: February 4, 2026 at 12:04 PM

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More than 500 new NHS mental health professionals are needed in England to close a growing gap in care for women during pregnancy and the first year after birth, according to a new report published at the end of January.

The findings come from children and family mental health charity Anna Freud, which warns that tens of thousands of women each year are left navigating fragmented or non-existent support for mild to moderate perinatal mental health difficulties.

While specialist NHS services have expanded in recent years, the charity says the current system still leaves many parents without the help they need at a crucial time for both them and their babies.

The hidden gap in perinatal mental health care

One in four women1 and birthing people in England experience a mental health difficulty during pregnancy or after birth. Around 40% face severe and high-risk conditions such as psychosis or severe depression and are usually supported by specialist NHS perinatal mental health teams.

However, the remaining 60% experience what are often described as mild to moderate difficulties, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder2. Despite the label, Anna Freud says these problems can have a serious and lasting impact if left untreated.

New modelling by the charity suggests that while specialist services currently reach around 57,000 women a year, more than 115,000 are missing out on adequate care3. With no dedicated service for this group, support is often described as patchy, confusing or entirely absent.

Why integration matters for mums and babies

The report, called Integrate, argues that better coordination between maternity, health visiting and mental health services could transform outcomes for families.

Rather than separate systems working in isolation, integration would allow professionals to share responsibility, spot problems earlier and offer consistent support throughout pregnancy and after birth.

Anna Freud estimates that meeting this need would require the recruitment of around 500 new psychological practitioners embedded within universal services such as maternity units, health visiting teams and family hubs.

Dr Camilla Rosan, Consultant Perinatal Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Research Lead at Anna Freud, said current care often leaves parents feeling lost.

A vast group of women and birthing people with common mental health problems are left with fragmented services that can be incredibly confusing to navigate.

Dr Camilla Rosan, Consultant Perinatal Clinical Psychologist at Anna Freud

The charity also highlights the financial case for early support, pointing to previous research4 suggesting that addressing unmet maternal mental health needs could save the NHS around £490 million over ten years.

Who is most affected by the gaps in care?

While all families can be affected, the report suggests integration could make the biggest difference for those already facing higher risks.

This includes women on lower incomes, those living in deprived areas and those from racially minoritised backgrounds. These groups are more likely to experience perinatal mental health difficulties and more likely to face barriers when trying to access help.

Rates of postnatal depression have also risen sharply in recent years, increasing from 10 percent in 2014 to 24 percent in 20205, underlining the urgency for system-wide change.

Real-life experiences of fragmented support

The report includes first person stories from women who say a lack of joined-up care worsened their mental health during an already vulnerable time.

Keji Moses, 48, from Canterbury, experienced depression and anxiety during pregnancy before losing her daughter Mayah to stillbirth in 2018. She says her mental health was rarely addressed by maternity services.

During the pregnancy, my mental health didn’t come into the equation. When I saw or interacted with clinicians, they really never turned their attention to me.

Keji Moses, founder of Mayah’s Legacy

Keji believes that having mental health professionals embedded within maternity care could have reduced the impact of her experience and helped her feel supported rather than overlooked.

Nakesha Chambers, 35, from Birmingham, also shared her experience of struggling to access help after being discharged from perinatal services following the birth of her third child.

Despite reaching crisis point twice, she says she only had one appointment with local support services over a two-year period, leaving her feeling abandoned once specialist care ended.

What Anna Freud is calling for next

The report follows the launch of a national inquiry into maternal and neonatal services, with final recommendations expected later this year.

Anna Freud is urging policymakers to ensure mental health is prioritised alongside physical outcomes, and that integration is central to future recommendations.

Dr Rosan said investment in early and moderate support is essential, even while the NHS remains under pressure.

So-called mild to moderate difficulties are anything but mild in terms of impact. They can shape the earliest bond between parent and baby.

Dr Camilla Rosan, Consultant Perinatal Clinical Psychologist at Anna Freud

For mums and families, the charity hopes the report will help drive a future where mental health support feels easier to access, more compassionate and truly joined up, at a time when it matters most.

References:

NHS England. Perinatal Mental Health https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/perinatal/
Royal College of Psychiatrists. (2021). College Report CR232: ‘Perinatal mental health services: Recommendations for the provision of services for childbearing women’.
There were approximately 545,000 births in 2023–24 in England, with an adjusted baseline including perinatal losses of ~670,000. Applying a prevalence of 25.8% for perinatal mental health difficulties, an estimated ~173,000 women and birthing people may experience a mild–moderate mental health problem each year. Current specialist services supported only 57,170 women, leaving an unmet need of over 115,000 people.
Bauer, A., Tinelli, M., & Knapp, M. (2022). The economic case for increasing access to treatment for women with common mental health problems during the perinatal period. London School of Economics and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on postnatal depression: analysis of three population-based national maternity surveys in England (2014–2020), Harrison, Siân et al. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, Volume 30, 100654

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