Luciana Berger appointed as Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance

 

Luciana Berger

Former MP Luciana Berger has been appointed as the new Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) and will take up her role at the start of next month.

Founded in 2011, MMHA is a coalition of 97 organisations, clinicians, and people with lived experience working together to improve mental health support during pregnancy and postnatally. MMHA has successfully campaigned to address gaps in UK specialist perinatal mental health care. However, despite significant progress, more work is needed to tackle the postcode lottery for mothers, partners, and babies.

Continue reading Luciana Berger appointed as Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance →

NHS England launch process to develop new Maternal Mental Health Services

After a delay due to COVID-19, NHS England (NHSE) and NHS Improvement (NHSI) have now launched an expression of interest process to develop and test Maternal Mental Health Services (formerly referred to as ‘Maternity Outreach Clinics’ in NHSE’s Long Term Plan) in 2020/21 and 2021/22.

This supports the delivery of the ambition in the Long Term Plan to establish Maternal Mental Health Services, which will integrate maternity, reproductive health and psychological therapy for women experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to the maternity experience.

Sustainability and transformation partnership (STPs), Integrated Care Systems (ICS), and Local Maternity Systems (LMS) areas have all received information inviting them to express interest in piloting these services.

The plan is for pilot sites to mobilise from October 2020 onwards and it is expected that all areas of England will have access to these services by 2023/24.

The MMHA welcomes this positive step towards achieving ambitions for perinatal mental health laid out in the Long Term Plan. We will be following the pilot developments and learnings closely, which should translate into perinatal mental health support for more women and families in need.

 

 

MBRRACE-UK analyse COVID-related and associated maternal deaths in latest report

A new Rapid Response report from Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk Through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) investigates maternal deaths in the UK related and associated to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) during May-August 2020.

Sobering statistics:

Overall, 16 women died during the perinatal period in the three months covered by this report:

      • Four died by suicide
      • Ten with COVID or COVID-related complications
      • Two because of domestic violence
      • Seven (88%) were from black and minority ethnic groups.

Continue reading MBRRACE-UK analyse COVID-related and associated maternal deaths in latest report →

New Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales specialist community perinatal mental health maps now available

The MMHA’s Everyone’s Business Campaign has released new maps showing the provision of specialist perinatal mental health (PMH) community services in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales (as of winter 2019/20). Despite welcoming major progress in commitments and funding promised by devolved nation governments, the maps continue to show the extent of the postcode lottery faced by women and families.

Continue reading New Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales specialist community perinatal mental health maps now available →

Scottish Government release latest Delivery Plan for perinatal and infant mental health

By Joanne Smith, Everyone’s Business Scotland Coordinator

The Maternal Mental Health Alliance’s (MMHA) Everyone’s Business campaign welcomes publication of the Scottish Government’s perinatal mental health delivery plan.

We commend the level of ambition, and ongoing commitment to strengthen and improve services across the pathway, including the third sector which has been a lifeline for many women and families, particularly during lock down. Continue reading Scottish Government release latest Delivery Plan for perinatal and infant mental health →

Summer 2020 Everyone’s Business eBulletin out now!

 

Front cover of the MMHA Everyone's Business Summer 2020 eBulletin
Download now

The Everyone’s Business summer 2020 eBulletin contains the latest from the Everyone’s Business Campaign and UK perinatal mental health (PMH) community.

The first half explores the impact COVID-19 has have on mums, families and the health professionals supporting them in the perinatal period. It includes information about:

  1. Our Plea to PLAN: campaign calls in light of the pandemic
  2. How MMHA members responded to the crisis and continue to provide mental health support to new and expectant mums
  3. A reminder that services across the pathway are open!

The second half focusses on important campaign developments, including exciting news from Northern Ireland, and our expert by experience champions articulate why they think specialist PMH services are more important than ever.

Please share widely among your networks! On Twitter, please tag @MMHAlliance and #EveryonesBusiness.

Also available in Welsh!

This eBulletin has been translated into Welsh to support campaigners working hard to make maternal mental health Everyone’s Business in Wales.

Download the Welsh summer 2020 eBulletin now

Get the latest PMH news straight to your inbox

Sign up to our mailing list to recieve the Everyone’s Business Campaign eBulletin every quarter.

For physical copies, please email sian@maternalmentalhealthalliance.org.

How perinatal mental health services in Wales reacted to the pandemic

Update from Dr Sarah Witcombe-Hayes, Everyone’s Business Campaign Wales Coordinator

Service adaptations

Perinatal mental health

In Wales, community perinatal mental health (PMH) services have continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 crisis, providing support to mums, dads/partners and the families who need it.

Fortunately, PMH teams were unaffected by redeployment to other frontline areas and were able to work quickly and innovatively to ensure appointments moved online or over the phone, where possible. More intensive face-to-face support has been determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on need. Support and consultation for other healthcare colleagues have also been prioritised. Continue reading How perinatal mental health services in Wales reacted to the pandemic →