campaign for better services

[Poulson]

I recently sent an email to my local MP to support me in campaigning for better perinatal services for women who have suffered from pp or pnd.

I got a reply from him today and I am meeting him on 25th January.

I would be very grateful if some ladies would not mind sharing their stories with me.

I would notof course use real names but the more information I get the better

If you could share your success of being in a moter and baby unit,or on the other hand,failure of care

that would be great

Best Wishes Poulson xx

[Naomi_at_app Volunteer]

Hi Poulson

Here's a summary of my experiences for your meeting

1st baby in 2005 - acute postpartum psychosis by the time baby 10 days old

- Nearest MBU 2 hour drive away (4 beds only)

- Admitted to mixed general psychiatric warfd without baby - husband had to take time off work to care for her at home

- Baby and husband visited every day but not ideal as baby had to come into the ward for feeds and changes, difficult for staff to ensure our privacy and safety

- Discharged within 3 weeks, good quality intensive support at home

- However, discharge before well enough led to severe depression and a suicide attempt after 9 months of struggling at home

2nd baby in 2011 - supported by new perinatal mental health service throughout pregnancy

- Devon Partnership Trust Perinatal service funded just 0.5 day/week of a specialist perinatal psychiatrist, however good triage processes enabled high risk mothers like me to have 2-3 planning appointments during pregnancy. Service now also funded to support mothers for first 12 months after baby's birth.

- Began relapse of psychosis when baby 7 days old - planning enabled me to start medication and prevent psychosis developing

- However suffered a relapse of postnatal depression and still no MBU locally therefore needed general psychiatric ward admission. New policy meant children could not visit on the ward at all so had less contact with my children until could leave the ward for visits. Had to feed baby in parks, cafes, anywhere we could get to near the hospital.

Hope this helps and good luck!

This NICE guideline sets out the standards set out by the government for antenatal and postnatal care for women with mental health problems. guidance.nice.org.uk/cg45

[Naomi_at_app Volunteer]

These documents might also help...

nice.org.uk/usingguidance/m...

[Hannah_at_APP Administrator]

Hi Poulson,

Great news about getting a meeting set up. I could also send you some snippets of my experiences too, to pass on. I'll log on one evening this week and send you some more detail.

[Naomi_at_app Volunteer]

Brochure from the UK's newest MBU in Dorset, showing what can be achieved when new services are commissioned

tinyurl.com/bjnjf5n

Here's some info on my local Perinatal Mental Health Service in Exeter & Torbay

devonpartnership.nhs.uk/Wha...

Let us know how the meeting goes Poulson!

N

[Poulson in reply to Naomi_at_app]

Thanks a ot for that

Will let you know how I go