This service provides care and support for women experiencing mental health problems during pregnancy and up to one year after giving birth.

We offer specialist perinatal mental health assessments, which focuses on both the needs of mother and infant, and management/treatment for women suffering severe mental illness such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar affective disorder and post-partum psychosis. We can also help women with a history of severe mental illness who are planning a pregnancy, or who have become pregnant and are at high risk of relapse during pregnancy or the postnatal year.

Care is provided across Dorset to women in their own homes wherever possible, enabling them to maintain their roles as mothers while their mental illness is safely treated. When required, we also have a dedicated mother and baby inpatient unit at Florence House, in Bournemouth, which offers 24-hour specialist support.

We have an experienced team of specialists and nursery nurses, occupational therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and a parent-infant psychotherapist. They offer:

  • psychiatric assessment and medication, if needed
  • advice on the risks and benefits of using psychotropic medication during pregnancy and when breastfeeding
  • pre-conception advice
  • support with the developing the mother and baby relationship
  • psychological therapies including family work, cognitive behavioural therapy and relapse-prevention work.
  • occupational therapies for mother and baby, focusing on mother-infant activities and help with routine and role adjustment which may include shopping, cooking, diet and exercise
  • parenting skills support and training.

Key information about this service

If you are struggling with perinatal mental health issues, we will work closely with social care workers, health visitors, maternity departments and other healthcare providers to carry out a full mental health assessment. We will develop a treatment plan in partnership with you, tailored to your own individual needs. Our aim is to provide the right care to help you recover, encouraging family involvement and strengthening your bond with your child.

If you feel that you, or someone you know, might benefit from this kind of support, please talk to your GP, midwife, health visitor or other healthcare professional, who can then make a referral to the perinatal service.

We welcome referrals from healthcare professionals such as GPs, community mental health teams, midwives, health visitors, maternity departments and social workers. However, any referrals for potential admission to the Florence House inpatient unit should be discussed with the team first.

Out-of-hours referrals requiring an emergency response will be undertaken by the psychiatric liaison team.

Feedback

Your feedback is always helpful to hear and of value to us and we welcome it.

You may be pleased with the care we offer and think we are doing something well, or would like to suggest improvements to our service. Alternatively, you may feel we have not given you the care you expected or needed, and would like to make a complaint. Either way, our patient advice and liaison service (PALS) can help. Making a complaint will not have any adverse effect on your current or future care and treatment.

You can also share more about your experiences of our services, whether it relates to care provided at home, during an outpatient appointment or during an inpatient stay. Visit our our patient experience page for more information.