Boost for new health team

A Peterborough mum has said a £3 million boost to help give mental health support to new mothers in the city is a vital new step.

The service – which will be run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) – is part of a national programme in which a further £23 million is being spent in underserved parts of the country according to NHS England.

CPFT’s specialist community perinatal mental health service will offer psychiatric and psychological assessments and care for women with complex or severe mental health problems during the perinatal period.

They can also provide pre-conception advice for women with a current or past severe mental illness who are planning a pregnancy.

The funding is worth about £3 million over the next three years and the service will begin in the autumn.

Patients will be referred to the service via a GP, other health professionals and other teams within CPFT.

Kirsten Scarff, a mother of two from Peterborough, who has helped design the new service with CPFT, said: “When I had my first child I showed symptons of OCD, low mood and anxiety.

“At the time I had to talk to 11 different health professionals before meeting a perinatal mental health nurse. Once I did, I received the most amazing support.

“With this specialist service in place I hope that women like me will have quicker access to the support they need.”