28th September 2016
The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is attending and presenting at the International Marcé Society Biennial Scientific Meeting being held this week (26-28 September) in Melbourne, Australia, with the theme Frontiers in Perinatal Mental Health – looking to the future.
The Marcé Society investigates the causes of why mothers become mentally unwell during pregnancy and following childbirth, the effects of the mother’s mental disorder on the foetus and whose mission is to seek and implement appropriate management strategies for these women and their families. This week’s international meeting is a great opportunity for researchers, clinicians and policy makers to come together in the vibrant city of Melbourne.
Dr Cheryll Adams CBE., Executive Director, iHV, said:
“The iHV is delighted to attend the International Marcé conference, where we can share best practice on our Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) Champions training and also learn about what works well in other countries. By 2016, a total of 577 PMH champions have been trained across England and they, in turn, have rolled out the training to in excess of 10,000 health visitors and others.”
Dr Adams continued:
“Whilst our iHV training was designed for health visitors, many other professions have benefitted during the roll out including midwives, general practitioners and mental health workers. As a result, the iHV has now designed and delivered multi-professional champions training and a range of direct delivery training. As encouraging as the reach, has been the many effects of the training on service transformation at a local, regional and national level.”
Melita Walker, Professional Development Officer/ Perinatal Mental Health Lead at the Institute of Health Visiting, is presenting her poster on the iHV’s Health Visitor Perinatal Mental Health Training – changing practice and systems together.
Melita Walker, iHV, added:
“The Marcé Perinatal Mental Health Biennial Scientific Conference is a fantastic opportunity for the iHV to learn about cutting edge research, which we can then translate into practical resources and guidance to develop health visiting practice in the UK. It also provides a platform to network and share our approach to helping health visitors, and other health professionals, to support mums – and dads – through what can be an immensely challenging time in their lives. What has been particularly affirming to hear, given it is health visitor week in the UK, has been how other countries aspire to the model of health visiting we have in the UK. I have heard many times during the conference (particularly in relation to the push for prevention and early intervention) ‘how we wish we had health visitors in our country!’”
—-ENDS —-
For more information, please contact: Julie Cooper on 07508 344716 or [email protected]
Melita Walker, Professional Development Officer/ Perinatal Mental Health Lead at the Institute of Health Visiting, presenting her poster at the International Marcé Society Biennial Scientific Meeting in Melbourne, Australia.
Photo caption: Melita Walker, Professional Development Officer/ Perinatal Mental Health Lead at the Institute of Health Visiting, presenting her poster at the International Marcé Society Biennial Scientific Meeting in Melbourne, Australia.
Notes to editors
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 www.ihv.org.uk
• Follow the Institute of Health Visiting on Twitter @iHealthVisiting and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iHealthVisiting
