Perinatal Mental Health Service

The Perinatal Mental Health Team

Pregnancy and the first year after having a baby can bring huge emotional and practical changes. For some people, this can also be a time when mental health difficulties begin or become harder to manage.

The Perinatal Mental Health Service supports women during pregnancy and up to 12 months after birth who are registered with a GP in Hull, the East Riding, North Lincolnshire or North East Lincolnshire.

If you are struggling or need support with your mental health please speak to your GP, Midwife or Health Visitor who will make the appropriate referral.

The Team

The team is made up of a multidisciplinary group of professionals who work collaboratively to provide specialist perinatal mental health care.

 The team includes:

  • Advanced and Specialist Nurses

  • Specialist Perinatal Practitioners

  • Perinatal Consultant Psychiatrists

  • Specialty Doctors

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapists (CBTs)

  • Family Therapists

  • Occupational Therapist

  • Perinatal Social Workers

  • Early Years Practitioners

  • Peer Support Workers

  • Referral Support Practitioner

The service is available to women who require specialist assessment and interventions for a moderate to severe mental health problem.

These include:

  • Moderate to severe post-natal depression

  • Anxiety disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder and panic disorder

  • Eating disorders

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder

  • Severe mental illnesses including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar affective disorder

  • Postpartum psychosis

  • Severe self-harm

  • Suicidal thoughts

The service will also provide the following:

  • Woman with pre-existing serious mental illness in pregnancy will usually be under the care of adult mental health services. The PNMH Team will either advise on management and treatment or co-work with the existing mental health team, according to individual need and choice;

  • Mothers under the age of 18 if significant perinatal mental illness dominates their presentation and they are likely to be the baby’s principal carer. In these circumstances the assessment, treatment and management of a young mother should be undertaken in collaboration with CAMHS and social services where a need is identified;

  • Pre-conception advice to women with a diagnosis or vulnerability to develop a psychiatric illness considering a pregnancy;

  • A liaison service to maternity, primary care and psychiatric services;

  • Expert advice to non-specialist health professionals;

  • Assessment and care of pregnant women who are well but at risk of developing a serious mental illness following delivery;

  • Women with a family history of serious mental illness;

  • A serious and/or complex illness during pregnancy and the first postpartum year;

  • Women with a pre-existing serious/complex illness who become pregnant.

How to talk to our perinatal team

  • Call:
    01482 336837

  • If you are registered with a North Lincolnshire GP, please call the Mental Health Access Team on:

    01724 382015

  • If you are registered with a North East Lincolnshire GP, please call the Single Point of Access on:

    01472 256256