A NEW specialist mental health service is offering a “lifeline” to woman across Wiltshire, including Salisbury, at risk of developing mental health problems during or after pregnancy.

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) NHS Trust has been commissioned to provide a specialist community perinatal mental health service across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) for those affected by severe and complex mental health problems during pregnancy and early motherhood.

The Trust says the service has been partially up and running since 2019 but now it will be running the full service.

Services, which will include psychiatric and psychological assessment and care for women with complex or severe mental health problems during the perinatal period, will be based at a service hub in Chippenham with clinics held in Salisbury, Swindon and Paulton.

Maria Cox, BSW specialist perinatal community team manager, said: “This new service will provide much needed specialist support. Perinatal mental illness affects hundreds of mothers, fathers and children across B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire every year, and the problems it causes can be severe and even life-threatening.

“This service will not only offer a lifeline to mums at risk of developing severe mental health problems during the perinatal period but will also have a positive impact on their children and families. It is fantastic that we will now be able to offer this specialist help when it’s needed most.”

Perinatal mental health problems occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child. The Trust says they are estimated to affect up to 600 women a year across the BSW area, and cover a wide range of conditions. If left untreated, they can have significant and long lasting effects on mothers, fathers and families.

Patients will be referred to the service via a GP, midwife, health visitor or other health professional.

Lucy Baker, the director of service delivery for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), said: “This service will mean that a greater number of mums and families will be provided with the robust support, care, information and advice they need. Early intervention and prevention and better joined up care will also have a positive impact on the mental wellbeing of mums, families and babies and help to ensure that children have the best start in life.”

The service has been set up thanks to more than £1 million in funding from NHS England, following a successful bid from the BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.