We鈥檙e supporting a campaign calling for women and families to have equitable access to perinatal mental health care.

The聽Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) 鈥� which we鈥檙e part of 鈥� has launched its drive, which aims to ensure everyone who comes into contact with women before, during or after pregnancy has the opportunity to provide mental health support.

It鈥檚 the latest phase of MMHA鈥檚 wider Everyone鈥檚 Business campaign, which calls for all women throughout the UK who experience a聽perinatal mental health problem聽to receive the care and support they and their families need, wherever and whenever they need it.

The MMHA is a coalition of more than 100 organisations, including 香港六合彩精准资料, working with clinicians and experts by experience to improve mental health support during pregnancy and postnatally.

Perinatal mental health

Jo Holmes, our Children, Young People and Families Lead, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to be supporting this important campaign.

鈥淢ore than one in 10 women聽develop a mental聽health issue聽during pregnancy or in the early years after having a baby, and the pandemic, lockdowns and social-distancing rules have exacerbated the problems.

鈥�Perinatal mental health problems can have a huge impact鈥�on new and expectant mums, and their families, so it鈥檚 vital that the support is there for them when they need it.鈥�

Emily Slater, CEO of the MMHA, said: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted the MMHA is launching 鈥楳ake all care count鈥� to expand our campaign focus to other areas of essential care that can dramatically affect the lives of women with perinatal mental health problems.

鈥淪pecialist services continue to be the foundational building block for perinatal mental health care but, on their own, they cannot meet the needs of all women and families.鈥�

Making all care count for women and their families

Everyone who comes into contact with women before, during or after pregnancy has the opportunity to provide mental health support. All care counts.

Only by taking a proactive, rounded approach to maternal mental health can the significant human and economic costs of undiagnosed or untreated PMH problems be prevented.

The MMHA鈥檚 鈥楳ake all care count鈥� campaign phase highlights and defines those services 鈥� in addition to specialist PMH services 鈥� that can play a crucial role in improving outcomes for women with or at risk of poor maternal mental health, including:

  • Maternity services
  • Health visiting
  • GPs and other primary care
  • Mental health services
  • Parent-infant services
  • Children鈥檚 services
  • Voluntary and community services

The MMHA鈥檚 鈥楳ake all care count鈥� campaign phase calls for:

All women and families across the UK to have equitable access to comprehensive, high-quality PMH care, including and beyond specialist PMH services.

This includes:

  • A confident, well equipped workforce delivering excellent, safe PMH care and support.
  • Care for all women, including those impacted by inequalities.
  • Specialist PMH services that meet national standards and act as a catalyst for change within the wider system of care.