MMHA’s response to the 2024 autumn budget

In their election manifesto, the Labour Party committed to prioritising women’s health as a core part of NHS reform. This included plans to embed a stronger focus on prevention across the system and ensure mental health receives equal attention and resources as physical health.

The Autumn 2024 budget included some positive steps, including a welcome increase in day-to-day NHS spending. However, the budget falls short of demonstrating the government’s commitment to prevention and systematically meeting the urgent mental health needs of women, birthing people, babies, and families.

Despite rising demand, current services are stretched and under-resourced, meaning many women face significant delays or may not receive support at all. Investing in early intervention, services that understand the needs of new and expectant mothers, and workforce growth is essential to ensuring that those impacted by perinatal mental illness can access timely, effective support.

The cost of overlooking these needs is enormous not only for the individuals and families directly affected, but for wider society too. Perinatal mental health problems impact at least 1 in 5 women and birthing people, and without comprehensive care, we risk perpetuating a cycle of unmet need and inadequate support that has devastating effects on parents, children, and huge costs for the UK economy.

The budget was a missed opportunity to take meaningful steps toward an equitable healthcare system that genuinely integrates mental health support during the maternity journey, providing early, effective interventions to prevent issues from escalating. The upcoming NHS 10-year plan is now the space where the government must follow through on its promises with concrete investments in perinatal mental health, acknowledging that recovery is possible with the right support at the right time.