Accessing the service

Healthcare professionals can refer you to the Perinatal Mental Health Service by contacting the appropriate team on the numbers below:

• Perinatal Mental Health Service Exeter – 01392 674964 – email: dpn-tr.PerinatalTeamExeter@nhs.net
• Perinatal Mental Health Service Torbay - 01803 396590 – email: dpn-tr.PerinatalTeamTorbay@nhs.net
• Perinatal Mental Health Service North Devon -  01271 322772 - email: dpn-tr.perinatalNorth@nhs.net
• Perinatal Mental Health Service South Hams and West Devon - 01822 813 070 - email: dpt.perinatalteamwestdevon@nhs.net
• Jasmine Lodge, Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), Exeter - 01392 539100 - email: dpt.mbuexeter@nhs.net
• The Community Perinatal Service has duty clinicians available for advice or to discuss referrals between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. If you have any queries or would like to discuss a referral, please contact the relevant team and ask for the duty worker. Professionals can leave a message regarding a referral and are asked to include their name and contact number, and someone from the team will return the call. We request you do not leave messages for urgent referrals on the answerphone.

We are open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. Outside of office hours there is an answerphone.

Professionals can leave a message regarding a referral to include their name and contact number and someone from the team will return the call. We request you do not leave messages for urgent referrals on the answerphone

If a referral is urgent and out of office hours we recommend contacting the out of hours GP surgery service.

Why have I been referred to the service?

There are various reasons why you may have been referred. Perhaps:

• You have been treated for a mental health problem in the past and you are planning a further pregnancy or are already pregnant.
• Your GP, midwife, obstetrician or health visitor feels that you may be unwell and could benefit from our help.
• There is a family history of certain mental health problems, such as bipolar affective disorder or postpartum psychosis, which can sometimes increase the risk of mental health problems after childbirth.

I’ve been referred, what happens next?

We screen all our referrals team on a daily basis and then review all referrals on a weekly basis in detail. We respond to referrals by sending you a letter which may include signposting you to an alternative service, or with an invitation to book an appointment for an assessment.

We offer appointments in a number of different locations including antenatal clinics, mental health wellbeing hubs, children’s centres, and some assessments may be completed at your home if you have had your baby.

We ask that you bring your maternity record with you at your first appointment.