New fathers and dads-to-be will be offered mental health checks as part of an NHS England shake-up of perinatal care.

The partners of expectant mothers who suffer from depression, anxiety or psychosis will be offered peer support, couples therapy and parenting interventions.

Although it is well recognised up to one in five mothers endure symptoms of post-natal depression, the NHS argues little attention is paid to men.

Yet, research suggests as many men can be affected by the condition - and having to care for a partner with mental health issues can prove more difficult when a baby enters the world.

New fathers will be offered mental health checks as part of an NHS England shake-up (stock)

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said the health service 'has a role to play in helping support the whole family'.

He added: 'These days dads and partners are rightly expected to be more hands-on and NHS mental health services also need to step up and support families at times of extreme stress and anxiety.'

Parenting groups, such as the National Childbirth Trust, offer support to both parents, but Mr Stevens argues the NHS should intervene when fathers are struggling.

'At what should be one of the happiest moments of our lives, caring for a partner suffering mental ill health when a new baby arrives is a difficult and often lonely experience,' he said.

'Alongside the backup and friendship of other new parents in NCT and other groups, the NHS has a role to play in helping support the whole family.'

Partners of women with mental health conditions will be offered a range of programmes including peer-support, behavioural couples therapy sessions and other family and parenting interventions.

The new announcement follows growing evidence that in the first six months of a child's life, symptoms of anxiety and depression are experienced by around one in ten fathers.

Claire Murdoch, NHS England's national mental health director, said: 'Any form of mental ill health during pregnancy, labour or early parenthood is a huge concern and it doesn't just disrupt life for mums but also for dads, partners and the wider family.

'The NHS has made huge strides forward in improving mental health care for new mums and ensuring their partners are properly supported too is the next logical step.'

The NHS also plans to expand its specialist community perinatal mental health services for women with new teams that are set to cover all of England by April.

Some 9,000 women are expected to have received treatment this year.

The perinatal period includes pregnancy and the first year after a child is born.

Mothers with moderate-to-severe mental health problems during the perinatal period will also be offered evidence-based psychiatric and psychological assessments.

And those with current or past severe mental illnesses will be given pre-conception advice.

Under the new scheme, the NHS will open four eight-bedded mother and baby units, which will provide specialist care and support to women in Kent, Devon, Lancashire and East Anglia.

NHS England also plans to expand the mother and baby unit bed capacity by 49 per cent to ensure there are more beds for severely mentally unwell mothers to receive specialist care with their babies across England.

The plan will be outlined in full in the forthcoming NHS long-term plan.

Dr Giles Berrisford, the associate national clinical director for perinatal mental health for NHS England, said: 'The expansion of perinatal mental health services with specialised community and inpatient beds helps to ensure mums with severe perinatal mental illnesses receive the help they need, when they need it.

'It is essential to support those people who care for these mums the most - their partners. This targeted support will help to achieve this.'