Implementing routine outcome monitoring in specialist perinatal mental health services

This document focuses on good practice examples, tools, tips and information to help perinatal mental health (PMH) services embed appropriate perinatal mental health outcomes measures at a local level, using outcome measures that are already part of the Mental Health Services Dataset. Click here for link to government site

Perinatal Depression Screening May Miss Suicidal Thoughts

A new study of 736 low-income pregnant women in Illinois finds that more than one-third of those who reported having thoughts of self-harm in a commonly used health questionnaire did not have elevated levels of depression. Read PsychCentral article here

Specialist mental health support for new mums available in every part of England

New and expectant mothers across the country can now access specialist mental health care in the area where they live, NHS England announced today.  Click here to read further.

Military Wives May Have Greater Risk of Perinatal Depression

Women whose partners are away on military deployment are at greater risk of developing depression during pregnancy and just after giving birth, according to a new U.K. study published in the Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Click here to read PsychCentral article

National Maternity and Perinatal Audit Clinical report 2017

The National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA) has published a major clinical report that identifies areas of good practice and opportunities for improvement in the care of women and babies in maternity services across Britain.

While the vast majority of women have a safe birth, and despite on-going improvements in the safety of maternity services, findings show that variation exists in a number of clinical processes and outcomes in maternity care. Some of the variation found will be due to differences in data quality, completeness and the risk profile of women being seen in different units.

Introduction of the pioneering Clinical Lead Nurse in Mental Health

In 2016 Children’s, Women’s, Diagnostic and Division at UHNM made a significant change in their practice by employing a Clinical Lead Nurse in Mental Health, this post was designed to create and sustain significant changes to mental health care within an acute hospital with a specific aim on improving Child and Adolescent mental health and Perinatal mental health.

New Perinatal Bursary Scheme will help mothers seeking specialist mental health services

Thousands of mothers will benefit from improved specialist perinatal mental health services, as the Royal College of Psychiatrist, NHS England and Health Education England announces funding to support 10 new perinatal psychiatrists inareas currently lacking this specialist care.

A bursary scheme will fund training in perinatal mental health for psychiatrists who are already consultants in other areas of psychiatry.

These newly trained perinatal consultants will then go on to lead new Perinatal Mental Health services in their local area.

Best Practice For Perinatal Mental Health Care: The Economic Case

This Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) report examines the economic case for investing in early interventions that reflect best practice in England. The study included a comparison of the potential costs and consequences associated with such interventions compared with one or more alternative course of action.