Friday 27 June 2008

NW Regional Infant and Maternal Mental Health Network

I attended the NW IMMH meeting today.

We were told about that the new national Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) network has been launched for people interested in, involved with or with experience of PIMH.

Membership of the network is free and more information is available at:
http://www.cypf.csip.org.uk/camhs/perinatal-and-infant-mental-health/perinatal-and-infant-mental-health-pimh-network-for-england.html

To join contact Janet Cobb (pimh@cypf.org.uk or janet@jan-net.co.uk) or go to http://www.jan-net.co.uk.

We also heard about the scope and gap analysis of IMMH in the NW. I shouted out for the mums! We also need to know of what voluntary groups there are in the Northwest of England - please let me know!

We also heard from Dr. Margaret Oates, consultant perinatal psychiatrist from East Midlands. She spoke to us about managed clinical networks for perinatal mental health. She stressed that by setting up effective perinatal mental health networks they were cost effective in the end. Her top tips were also

1. Encourage psychiatrists to ask women about their families as a matter of course, just as any medical doctor would.
2. Pre-pregnancy advice for any woman of child-bearing age if they have a mental health problem.

Plans are being made for a NW meeting on 25th September.

I am pleased to see that NICE guidelines are being responded to ... but it needs to be faster!

www.elainehanzak.co.uk

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