Written Question · S5W-31510 · Session 5
In light of there only being two specialist mother and baby units in Scotland, what action it is taking to support the mental health of new…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of there only being two specialist mother and baby units in Scotland, what action it is taking to support the mental health of new mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it will improve (a) access to these units and (b) the provision of specialist community perinatal mental health services in each NHS board area.
The answer
The Scottish Government is committed to improving services in perinatal and infant mental health across Scotland. The 2019-20 Programme for Government contained a specific focus on the mental health of women, babies and their families accompanied by an investment of £50m over 4 years. The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board has been established to provide oversight of this investment and to roll out service provision across statutory and third sector services.
Perinatal Mental Health services across Scotland continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and were prioritised for access to Near Me, a secure online platform for providing services. To help support parents, we invested £240,000 in providing access to the Solihull Online programme which is aimed at improving parent-child relationships, managing problematic behaviour and promoting positive mental health. This includes a postnatal course on ‘Understanding Your Baby’ as well as a course for the antenatal period. Information regarding mental health and emotional wellbeing was provided through Parent Club throughout the pandemic. Additionally the Inspiring Scotland Perinatal and Infant Mental Health service directory provides signposting for third sector services across Scotland.
The two Mother Baby Units in Scotland (Leverndale and St Johns) are regionally managed but provide support to all mothers across Scotland. Access to these units is based on need and clinical judgement, rather than geography. The Scottish Government expects that where admission to an inpatient unit is required, that women and infants will be admitted appropriately, in line with clinical judgement and the wishes of the patient.
In 2019-20 and 2020-21 we have invested £750,000 across both Mother Baby Units to improve the experience of care for women in need of intensive support. This funding aims to improve services in line with the recommendations based on the Delivering Effective Services report by the Perinatal Mental Health Managed Clinical Network.
We have also invested £30,000 in the new Mother Baby Unit Family Fund which will provide a contribution to the expenses incurred by partners when travelling to visit a mother and baby receiving care. Making it easier for whole family care to be provided.
We are also in the process of providing funding to every health board in Scotland to increase their specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health services. This builds upon initial investment of £80,000 in the North of Scotland in 2019/20 to support the initial development of community services. We are working with Grampian, Highland, Orkney and Shetland and are providing further funding to create services which support the needs of women across these areas.
In addition, funding has also been offered to support Maternity/Neonatal Psychological Interventions services and to develop Infant Mental Health services. We expect these services to be in place by the end of this year.
Perinatal Mental Health services across Scotland continued throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and were prioritised for access to Near Me, a secure online platform for providing services. To help support parents, we invested £240,000 in providing access to the Solihull Online programme which is aimed at improving parent-child relationships, managing problematic behaviour and promoting positive mental health. This includes a postnatal course on ‘Understanding Your Baby’ as well as a course for the antenatal period. Information regarding mental health and emotional wellbeing was provided through Parent Club throughout the pandemic. Additionally the Inspiring Scotland Perinatal and Infant Mental Health service directory provides signposting for third sector services across Scotland.
The two Mother Baby Units in Scotland (Leverndale and St Johns) are regionally managed but provide support to all mothers across Scotland. Access to these units is based on need and clinical judgement, rather than geography. The Scottish Government expects that where admission to an inpatient unit is required, that women and infants will be admitted appropriately, in line with clinical judgement and the wishes of the patient.
In 2019-20 and 2020-21 we have invested £750,000 across both Mother Baby Units to improve the experience of care for women in need of intensive support. This funding aims to improve services in line with the recommendations based on the Delivering Effective Services report by the Perinatal Mental Health Managed Clinical Network.
We have also invested £30,000 in the new Mother Baby Unit Family Fund which will provide a contribution to the expenses incurred by partners when travelling to visit a mother and baby receiving care. Making it easier for whole family care to be provided.
We are also in the process of providing funding to every health board in Scotland to increase their specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health services. This builds upon initial investment of £80,000 in the North of Scotland in 2019/20 to support the initial development of community services. We are working with Grampian, Highland, Orkney and Shetland and are providing further funding to create services which support the needs of women across these areas.
In addition, funding has also been offered to support Maternity/Neonatal Psychological Interventions services and to develop Infant Mental Health services. We expect these services to be in place by the end of this year.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-31510 by reference.