Wales first mental health unit for new mums to open
The opening of Uned Gobaith means new mums no longer have to travel to England to access support
A new mental health mother and baby unit - the first of its kind in Wales - opens today.
Based at Tonna Hospital, ‘Uned Gobaith’ will provide specialist perinatal mental health provision.
It's the only inpatient unit of its kind in Wales to offer multidisciplinary mental health care to women from 32 weeks of pregnancy until their baby is one year old.
Prior to the pandemic, up to 1 in 5 mums and 1 in 10 dads experienced mental health needs during pregnancy and within the year after birth.
However, since 2013, there has not been an MBU in Wales. This has meant that mothers who needed serious mental health care have either been supported in the community, admitted to acute mental health wards without their babies, or have had to travel to one of the specialist mother and baby units in England.
At present, the closest unit for women living in the Swansea Bay UHB area is in Bristol.
Based at Tonna Hospital, near Neath, the new unit is designed to be a home away from home where mums will have access to specialist care for themselves and their babies.
It has six individual bedrooms for women and their little ones.
Mums who are admitted will also have access to a shared living room and kitchen areas along with a playroom, quiet room and sensory room.
In addition, accommodation will be available for family members travelling from further away to visit their loved ones.
Supporting the mothers and their babies on site will be a multidisciplinary team that includes psychologists, mental health nurses and psychiatrists, as well as social workers, health visitors and midwives.
Nursery nurses will be on hand around the clock too, to look after babies while mothers rest or receive treatment.
The opening of Uned Gobaith is being welcomed by NSPCC Cymru.
Dr Sarah Witcombe-Hayes is a Senior Policy Researcher for the charity. She says: “The opening of the interim mother and baby unit is a long-awaited, but crucial, step forward in providing specialist perinatal mental health provision for families in Wales and a true credit to all those who’ve campaigned so long for it.
“Being able to access mental health support during pregnancy and after birth is vital and has long been the focus of our Fight for a Fair Start campaign, so we’re delighted this unit provides specialist inpatient care for mums who are suffering from severe mental health problems in the perinatal period, while remaining with their babies.
“It’s clear though that there is still more to be done to ensure that all parents can access perinatal mental health support when it is needed. That’s why we want to see all parties commit to ensuring adequate investment in specialist perinatal mental health services, including an accessible mother and baby unit for families in North Wales.
“We’re urging people to sign our petition in support of our campaign to ensure all families get a fair start.”