Background

The maternal mental health service (MMHS) midwife role was introduced in England in 2020 to address a longstanding gap in perinatal care for women and birthing people experiencing complex psychological distress related to pregnancy, birth, loss, trauma or social care involvement. These individuals have historically faced barriers to accessing specialist perinatal mental health support, resulting in unmet psychological needs and fragmented care. MMHS midwives work in multidisciplinary teams to integrate maternity and mental health pathways, providing trauma-informed and psychologically informed care, and improving access to appropriate interventions. Despite the recognised value of this role, implementation varies widely across regions in scope, training, management and integration in maternity and mental health systems.

Survey

An anonymous collaborative survey was distributed through the national MMHS midwife forum to map current working practices, role structures and professional experiences.

Findings

Of forum members, 68 per cent (57/84) responded to the survey. Responses highlighted significant inconsistencies in role definition, workforce allocation, supervision and organisational support. Participants also identified challenges including professional isolation, role ambiguity and pressures related to workforce planning, alongside strong evidence of the role’s positive impact on care coordination, psychological support and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Conclusion

The MMHS midwife role is an essential and innovative addition to the perinatal workforce, strengthening trauma-informed care and addressing previously unmet needs. However, the sustainability and effectiveness of the role depend on consistent national recognition, clearer workforce planning, structured supervision and equitable access to training. Greater role clarity and organisational support are necessary to ensure MMHS midwives can continue to provide safe, integrated and holistic perinatal mental health care.