A new report by the pregnancy and baby loss charity Sands, published today, reveals a postcode lottery in NHS mental health care, leaving thousands of bereaved parents without essential support. Titled Lost in the System: Bereaved Parents’ Experiences of Mental Health Care Following Baby Loss, the report shows that only 17% of bereaved parents who sought NHS mental health support were able to access it, despite 81% saying they needed care. The findings highlight widespread inequalities, with fathers, partners, and marginalised communities particularly affected.
In the UK, 13 babies die each day before, during, or shortly after birth, and at least one in six pregnancies ends in miscarriage. The trauma puts parents at increased risk of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Sands surveyed 1,260 bereaved parents between February and April 2025 and sent Freedom of Information requests to health boards and trusts across the UK. The results reveal fragmented mental health services that vary significantly depending on location.
Among the findings, 81% of bereaved parents wanted mental health support, but half of those who sought help could not access any. Of the 17% who did receive NHS support, 87% found it helpful when it was sustained. Long-term care made a clear difference, with all parents who received support for more than 24 weeks describing it as helpful, compared with only 46% of those who received less than six weeks of support.
The report calls for improvements in service delivery. Louisa Hendrickson, whose son Zion died in April 2020, shared her experience: “Access to mental health support after baby loss should not depend on where you live, what you look like, or whether a local charity happens to exist in your area.” She developed post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety but was unable to access appropriate NHS care for five years.
Other parents shared similar accounts. One father said, “I felt that I was forgotten about, and everything was designed for my wife. I was just left to deal with my thoughts and feelings by myself, which caused great stress in my life.” A mother who experienced a miscarriage at 10 weeks explained, “I have depression and PTSD. I haven’t been able to return to work since. I cry every day. I have had suicidal thoughts.”
The report outlines striking regional differences. In England, 86% of mental health commissioners said they had a Maternal Mental Health Service, yet access remained inconsistent. In Scotland, 29% of health boards lacked a specialist service. In Wales, only 28.5% confirmed its availability. In Northern Ireland, 40% said they had such services, while another 40% reported none existed.
Inequalities were also found across different communities. Black and South Asian parents reported racial bias and inadequate therapy options, such as being offered general cognitive behavioural therapy that did not meet their needs. LGBTQIA+ families said some professionals lacked understanding of their experiences. More than one in four parents turned to private care because they could not get appropriate support through the NHS.
Sands is calling for immediate action. The charity urges governments across the UK to establish national standards, assess population needs, and ensure mental health commissioners have the funding and training needed to deliver specialist care. Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands, stated, “This is not just about funding; it’s about awareness, joined-up care, and recognising that baby loss is a trauma. Mental health support should not be a luxury for bereaved parents. It’s a necessity.”
