Meet the team

Our professional team work together to provide care and treatment that is appropriate for you. The team includes experienced perinatal mental health practitioners (mental health nurses, occupational therapists, social workers), perinatal clinical psychologists, consultant perinatal psychiatrists and specialist/public health midwives. We also regularly have students on training placements

Dr Jo Black

Dr Jo Black is our Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist and is also Associate National Clinical Director for Perinatal Mental Health for NHS England.

Jo was pivotal in developing our community perinatal mental health service and is passionate about improving perinatal mental health care. She works together with mums, dads and their families to ensure their voices are heard in shaping future service developments.

Jo is also playing a key role in the implementation of the new specialist Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) - Jasminde Lodge which opens in Exeter in 2019. The new unit means that we can provide the support and treatment that mums need, in a good, accessible central location, and that they can continue to receive their mental health care, whilst not being separated from their babies.  This is a huge step forward for everyone involved in perinatal mental health in the South West.

Follow Jo on twitter @Black2Jo

Amanda Taylor

Amanda Taylor is our Community Perinatal Service Manager. 

Amanda began her perinatal journey in 2013, working as a community perinatal practitioner until her move into the Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) perinatal outreach role in 2017. Amanda was successful in her appointment as Community Perinatal Service Manager in the summer of 2019. Since then, Amanda has been an active member of the South West NHS England Perinatal Mental Health Network.

Amanda provides passionate and compassionate leadership for the service, having worked across a variety of roles. Her knowledge of perinatal mental health is vast, and as a leader, she strives to enthuse, support and share wisdom with the staff and colleagues, ensuring the best quality service is provided to women seeking perinatal care.  

Amanda is continually working on service improvement plans to ensure that perinatal services provide responsive, quality and accessible care. In the past three years, Amanda has supported the service to develop the Maternal Mental Health Service, expanding the psychological offer, extending the offer to 24 months postnatal, and offering screening and signposting for fathers and co-parents of their own mental health.

Follow the team on twitter @DPT_Perinatal