The Perinatal Mental Health Team at St John’s Hospital

The Perinatal Mental Health Service

Introduction

         The Perinatal Mental Health Service (the service) is a consortium partnership service involving Borders, Fife, Highland, Lothian and Tayside NHS Board areas

         This is an in-patient service, which aims to treat women who are experiencing mental illness in the postnatal period, whilst facilitating bonding with the baby.The service has developed from the Perinatal Mental Health Services: a tiered approach to service provision Development Plan.

Mental Health Mother and Baby Unit

The Mental Health Mother and Baby Unit comprises of six beds and six cots based within St John’s Hospital. The Unit has close liaison with and support from onsite maternity and paediatric services and to the full range of services available to adult mental health inpatient services.

Psychiatrists, Mental Health Nurses, Nursery Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Team Administrator, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Health Visitor and Social Worker staff the unit.

It will offer a range of interventions, both biological and psychosocial, appropriate to the diagnosis and circumstances of individual needs.  In addition, the unit will provide care for the physical needs of mothers and babies (appropriate to a psychiatric setting), facilitate the development of the mother-infant relationship and aim to reduce the impact of maternal mental illness on the developing child.

Mothers will be provided with the support, encouragement and education necessary to help them care appropriately for their infants.  The service has a responsibility to provide safe and appropriate care to babies admitted to the unit with their mother, and staff have an explicit duty of care to admitted babies.

Vision 

The Mother and Baby Unit provides a safe, welcoming and healing environment.   We are a family friendly, warm and supportive service.  We aim to assist and support individuals and their families by providing treatment and care on an individual basis whilst recognising and respecting cultural diversity.