New mothers to benefit from better access to mental health services
Amplifying Maternal Voices (AMV) wants to achieve equal mental healthcare for all women
Pregnant women and new mothers are set to benefit from better access to mental health services as part of a new project.
Amplifying Maternal Voices (AMV) will run for at least two years nationwide and will work towards achieving equal mental healthcare for all women in perinatal services.
The project, run by the Mental Health Foundation and Mental Health Alliance, will especially target those from "seldom-heard" communities.
The charities say the lack of access to high quality perinatal mental healthcare costs the NHS and social care an estimated £1.2 billion a year.
Jessica Bondzie, AMV project manager for the Mental Health Foundation said: "Getting the right support is critically important around the time a woman has a baby, both for her and for the future mental health of her child or children.
"This programme seeks to increase our support for women and families, especially those women from culturally diverse backgrounds and experiences.
"Evidence suggests that existing support is less accessible for families in seldom-heard communities, and we need to understand the reasons for this."
According to the NHS's Long-Term Plan in 2019, around one in four women experience mental health problems in pregnancy and during the 24 months after giving birth.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists also said in 2017 the majority of women who reported experiencing mental health problems (55%) were not referred on to services or given any advice about organisations to contact for further help.
The project aims to co-operate with local networks across England to identify the most effective ways of providing services.
It is funded by the Foundation's Covid Response Programme, which supports groups whose mental health has been worst hit by the pandemic.
Laura Seebohm, chief executive at the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, said: "Research shows that women from seldom-heard communities are at the greatest risk. Despite this they are often underserved by the current system.
"We are so proud to be working with Alliance member the Mental Health Foundation, to listen to and amplify the experiences and needs of these women and families.
"Together, we want to ensure support can be accessed and delivered equitably.
"Every woman, regardless of her postcode, race, age or background, deserves high-quality, comprehensive and culturally-sensitive care for her maternal mental health."
Jo McGregor from Harrogate runs Mamas Matter - a non profit, community interest company support new mums across the Harrogate district.
She welcomed the news on the AMV project:
"Recently I've been working with young mums who really struggle to access perinatal mental health services because they might be under 18, for example, and they don't quite 'fit' in the system and, for some, they're falling through the gaps.
"Harrogate can be in a little bubble at times and so people can forget that there are absolutely people in need - from different communities and demographics across the district that really need support.
"But with the AMV, it will be really advocating for those people who's voices are less often heard or, in some cases, ignored.
"The whole aim of the project is to make sure the voices of everyone are considered to help provide better outcomes for all."
You can get more information on maternal mental health support across the Harrogate district, on the Mamas Matter website.