Perinatal Parent Infant Mental Health Service - NELFT

The perinatal parent infant mental health services (PPIMHS) is a specialist psychiatric and psychological service. The team is made up of three groups of clinicians:

• perinatal psychiatrists
• perinatal community mental health practitioners
• psychotherapists/psychologists

The psychiatric component of the service works with women with mental health problems during pregnancy and up to a year postnatally. The psychological component of the service works with parents and children up until the age of three to address attachment difficulties to prevent complex mental health problems when the babies and toddlers become older.

Perinatal psychiatrists can offer assessment and treatment, including advice on medication during pregnancy and while breastfeeding work closely with maternity services by holding joint obstetric/psychiatric clinics

Perinatal community mental health practitioners can provide intensive support and offer home visits assist in getting help from other services such as children’s centres.

Psychotherapists and psychologists work with the service user, their partner and baby together to help adjust to the changes that can come with pregnancy and caring for a new baby.

If the service user already has a care coordinator, they will remain involved in their care.