Perinatal Mental Health in Wales Photography by Tom Hull. The people pictured are volunteers. Registered charity 216401 and SC037717. 01/03/18 Dr. Sarah Witcombe-Hayes Sarah.Witcombe-Hayes@NSPCC.org.uk
NSPCC & Perinatal Mental Health England: Prevention in Mind (2012) Scotland: Getting it Right for Mothers and Babies (2015)
Why Now? Why Wales?
Project Overview Explore the provision of perinatal mental health services across Wales Understand what is it like for women and their partners to live with and manage perinatal mental illnesses in Wales Roadmap for Wales mapping progress, identifying gaps, & developing a vision for the future
Project Design Sample Health professionals Third sector organisations Women with lived experience Partners of women with lived experience Methods Semi-Structured Interviews Online Surveys Recruitment Networks & stakeholders Conferences & events Social Media
Project Update 11 months into the project Collating findings & writing report Developing recommendations for findings Peer review COP
Mapping PMH Services in Wales Statutory Services History of PMH Care in Wales Overview of PMH Services Service Standards Third Sector Overview of Third Sector in Wales Role & Importance of Third Sector Challenges for the Third Sector
Awareness, Knowledge & Skills Issue: Women & families are not given enough information about PMH problems If I or my partner/family had been more aware of the symptoms, we may have sought help earlier - Mum Helpful websites for info and advice during and after birth. Also what symptoms to keep an eye out for if they start becoming unwell so we can get the correct help at the earliest opportunity Partner Solution: Families should be well informed of PMH problems, so they can spot signs and symptoms and know where to get help and support
Awareness, Knowledge & Skills Issue: Not all health professionals working with women in perinatal period in Wales have the knowledge or skills to identity, manage and treat PMH problems I had to fight to be listened too. I knew I had depression. They kept telling me it was baby blues but I knew it wasn t, I felt fobbed off by my doctors when I went to them for help Mum We have done lots of presentations with the midwives, health visitors, GPs. We are doing lots of awareness sessions. We are doing sessions about our team, but we are also doing awareness sessions of things to look out for, red flags, when to refer, just to try and upskill really CPN Solution: All health professionals working in the perinatal period should have suitable training so they can detect and support women & families experiencing PMH problems
Accessing Specialist PMH Care Issue: There is a variation in the provision of community PMH Services across Wales, meaning there is a variation in support available for women across Wales It is very difficult to manage. It is quite overwhelming really - Clinical Nurse Specialist The other thing is the venue, which seems a silly thing, but finding somewhere for these women to have a group. You know the first psychological coping skills group we held in the sexual health clinic, the GUM clinic. They literally had to walk though there pregnant through the GUM clinic where you go to get your HIV test. - Perinatal Mental Health Nurse Solution: Expand existing teams to address variation and ensure every woman in Wales can access specialist PMH care when needed
Accessing Specialist PMH Care Issue: It is very difficult for women and their families from Wales to access specialist PMH inpatient care I was not in an appropriate environment when I was in a general psychiatric unit & there was absolutely no provision for my partner & son to visit during the day. They weren't allowed to come to my room, we used to spend the time wandering the hospital corridors Mum It took them 10 hours to get there It was horrendous because you have to stop with the baby every two hours cos it was a new born and you have to take a 30 min break after a two hour drive and then they got congested up somewhere.they got there 10 o clock in the night. It was just awful, what a terrible thing to do to that woman who was psychotic - Perinatal Mental Health Nurse. it took me my whole week, my whole week. I did nothing else. Everybody gave me coffee and I was on the phone constantly. I ran 13 units, I submitted three applications for a bed Perinatal Mental Health Nurse Solution: Welsh Government to work with community of practice to design a fit for purpose mother and baby unit in Wales with provision for partners/family members to stay with women and babies
Family Support: Partners Issue: PMH problems can have significant impacts on the family, but there is little access to support in Wales It caused upset. I struggled to cope with the fact that I had two people to care for and no help Partner Given pill. Nothing more, no groups or referrals. Felt ignored and unimportant Partner I think just having someone ask how I was doing would have gone a long way Partner Solution: All health professionals working in perinatal period engage with and offer support to partners and family members of women affected by PMH problems
Family Support: Mum-Baby Interactions Issue: Mother-infant relationships can be affected by maternal mental health problems, but few health professionals working with women in the pre or postnatal period have received training on infant mental health. It caused me to find it hard to bond with my baby and even though my eldest is 11, I find it difficult to be the loving hands on parent I see so many others being and doing so easily Mum Solution: Health professionals receive further training on infant mental health so they can support parents to develop nurturing relationships with their babies
Next Steps Draft final report Peer review of report Design and printing Launch event: 12 th June 2018 For more details on the launch event please contact: Publicaffairs.cymru@NSPCC.org.uk