Maternity Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support for training and resources his Department is providing to integrated care boards to help implement the NHS England Maternal Care Bundle, published on 6 January 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth
Maternity care remains a top priority for NHS Providers, as demonstrated in the planning guidance.
Maternity services in England are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs), and maternity funding, which formed part of the System Development Funding in 2024/25, has been transferred to ICB core allocations for 2025/26. This is to allow local leaders more flexibility to serve the needs of their population.
The Maternity Care Bundle codifies best practice standards and therefore the implementation of the Maternity Care Bundle will be absorbed through ICB core allocations.
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