The iHV is delighted to be supporting UK Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week 2019 which runs from 29 April until 5 May 2019. Perinantal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) has been a priority for us from day one, and we are proud of our work in mental health.
We firmly believe that there is no health without mental health and that health visitors are uniquely placed to:
- – prevent mental ill-health in the first instance
- – promote mental wellbeing of the mother, other family members and the wider community
- – offer evidence-based interventions to families experiencing mental health problems
- – refer on for timely specialist support
- – coordinate integrated care experiences
- – support relationships between parents and infants, the couple relationship and wider family relationships
In order to deliver a high-quality service, families need health visitors to be in sufficient numbers, with the right capacity, competence and confidence. There is strong support for a universally well-trained workforce that is complemented, supported and strengthened through strong leadership from specialist health visitors in every organisation.
Throughout the week we are going to be sharing examples of how leadership from health visitors who practice at an advanced level (often referred to as Specialist PIMH Health Visitors) are making a difference! Follow #maternalMHmatters on Twitter for all the latest updates.
About Maternal Mental Health Week
Led by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership (PMHP), the week focuses on mums affected by Maternal Mental Illness uses the general hashtag #maternalmhmatters on social media.
Follow PMHP on Twitter – @PMHPU and Instagram – @perinatalmhpartnership
Each day this week has a theme and specific hashtag:
- – Monday 29 April – ‘What is Perinatal Mental Health’? – #pmhpwhatispmh
- – Tuesday 30 April – What good support looks like – #pmhpsupport
- – Wednesday 1 May – This is World Maternal Mental Health Day and the theme for the day will be ‘The Village’, focusing on how we work together to remove barriers to services so all mums who need services can access them – #pmhpthevillage
- – Thursday 2nd May – focus on recovery – #pmhprecovery
- – riday 3 May – To end the week, we will be encouraging the creation of a virtual ‘Positivity Pot’ so do share articles and blogs about recovery, looking ahead to the future and selfcare – #pmhppositivitypot
How you can get involved:
- – Highlight what you and / or your organisation are doing to promote mental well being of families and how you/health visiting service supports families affected by perinatal mental illness.
- – Use the #maternalmhmatters hashtag in conjunction with #healthvisiting on social media when referring to the week and the daily specific hashtags if relating to the daily theme.
- – Get in touch with us – write a blog/send pics of activities you are doing as part of MMH week/MMH day.
- – Make contact with local commissioners and share the importance of your role in PIMH, why not take a commissioner out with you/ ask a parent to share their experience , show them the Channel 4 film we made last year, facilitate them to talk with a family who you have supported.
- – Book on the iHV PIMH Champions training
- – #PNDHOUR – Following on from the success of the last two years, Rosey from PNDandMe will be running #PNDHOUR every night during the week at 8pm on Twitter. Do join in!
Melita Walker, Mental Health Lead, iHV
