9th December 2015
A new report of pregnancy-related deaths shows that, while overall figures are falling, there is an urgent need to protect and improve training of all the relevant professional groups about perinatal mental illness, and particularly the speed with which women’s illness can progress.
The report findings into the reasons why women with mental disorders die in pregnancy and in the postnatal period reinforces health visitors’ concerns as seen in results from the Institute of Health Visiting’s (iHV) State of Health Visiting Survey 2015. The iHV 2015 survey of over 1400 health visitors found 1 in 4 health visitors cannot provide every family with a postnatal mental health (PMH) assessment at 6-8 weeks, and 3 in 4 cannot at 3-4 months as recommended by the Government. This is of particular concern as 68% of respondents reported having seen an increase in postnatal depression in the past 2 years.
In response to the report ‘Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care’, from MBRRACE-UK, Dr Cheryll Adams, Director of the Institute of Health Visiting, said: “Once again perinatal illness is found to be a key contributor to maternal death in the first year of a child’s life – with about a quarter of women who died between 6 weeks and one year after pregnancy dying from mental health related causes. Whilst usually a time of great happiness, this can also be a very challenging time for new mothers.
Dr Adams continued: “We know from the last time the service was cut, just ten years ago, that this is likely to have a very significant impact on outcomes for children and families, including maternal mental health. Local authority commissioners must make sure that health visitors have the time to provide PMH assessments for all mothers at 6-8 weeks and again at 3-4 months if the iHV PMH training is to have the impact it should. We call on the Government to reconsider their public health cuts, or to find a way to ring fence health visiting services from those cuts, thereby protecting the results of its impressive policy from the last parliament.”
The iHV can upskill the workforce but it has to be up to the Government, local commissioners and employers to ensure there are sufficient health visitors able to deliver robust services.
—-ENDS —-
For more information please contact: Julie Cooper on 07508 344716 or [email protected]
Notes to editors
MBRRACE-UK Report – Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care
Surveillance of maternal deaths in the UK 2011-13 and lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2009-13
(https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk/reports )
iHV State of Health Visiting Survey 2015
- 1413 members of the Institute of Health Visiting completed the survey in November 2015
Institute of Health Visiting Annual Report
Link to iHV Annual report 2014/15
About the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV)
- The Institute of Health Visiting is a UK Centre of Excellence supporting the development of universally high-quality health visiting practice. It was launched on 28 November 2012 to promote excellence in health visiting practice to benefit all children, families and communities.
- The aim for the iHV is to raise standards in health visiting practice, so improving public health outcomes for all children, families and communities.
- For more information go to ihv.org.uk
- Follow the Institute of Health Visiting on Twitter @iHealthVisiting and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iHealthVisiting
