Care and treatment

Following an initial assessment your careplan will be created to meet your individual needs. 

We provide advice, assessment and signposting to other services that include:

  • Making contact with you in a timely way
  • An assessment experience that embraces what is important to you in your pregnancy and in planning for the postnatal period
  • A written letter reflecting on the points raised in your assessment
  • The shared development of a plan of care to meet your needs
  • Advice in prescribing medication for mental health reasons in pregnancy and breast feeding, for example anti-depressants
  • Promoting wellbeing and relapse prevention in pregnancy and the postnatal period
  • Pregnancy planning and birth planning for women who are already working with a recovery care co-ordinator from community mental health services
  • Information about other services, for example TALKWORKS.

Care plan for pregnancy and the early postnatal period

If you are pregnant and receiving care from a recovery care co-ordinator and a consultant psychiatrist we will involve them in your perinatal pregnancy and birth planning. These plans are usually agreed early in pregnancy in preparation for the birth and the early postnatal period. With your agreement, the pregnancy and birth plan will be shared with your midwife, obstetrician, GP, health visitor and others involved in your care.

Appointments with our service

You will be allocated a named perinatal mental health practitioner who will be your main point of contact via the telephone number for our service. If you are in mental health crisis, please contact our First Response Service on 011.

If you are unable to keep your appointment we ask that you give us as much notice as possible. This allows us to make best use of our clinical time. To cancel or rearrange your appointment please call us.

If you need an interpreter to be present or require any specific support to attend your  appointment please inform let us know when you receive your appointment letter.

Involvement of partners and significant others

You can bring your partner, friend or family member with you to appointments. We will ask for your consent before sharing any information with friends, family members and carers. 

Dads

Dads play an important role in their partner’s recovery. We know that it can also be a difficult time for dads and for their own wellbeing. With consent we work closely with them and their partner to support their individual needs.

Visit Dads Matter UK

Confidentiality and consent

When you talk with a health professional in private you will expect that what is said remains confidential. This principle is central to trust between patients and their doctor or other health professionals. Details of your care and treatment, including anything you tell us, remains confidential and will only be shared within our multidisciplinary clinical team (which includes health and social care staff) if necessary.

All health professionals are bound by law and professional codes of conduct to this duty of confidentiality to their patients.

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