No Mersey treatment for depressed mothers

May 5 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

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HELEN SCHOFIELD, clinical director of obstetrics at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, set up a clinic for women with post-natal depression four years ago, when she noticed there was a huge gap in provision. The service, commissioned by Mersey Care, sees around 8,000 women a year, with a range of different problems.

She thinks having specialist beds in Liverpool for women with severe cases should be a final goal. Dr Schofield said: “There is no co-ordinated service at the moment in Liverpool and that is what we need.

“We are working with bodies, including the PCT and Mersey Care, to make it happen.

“I know that two or three women have gone from here to Wythenshawe over the last 12 months, out of 8,000.

“It is very difficult when it happens and the final goal is to have beds in Liverpool. But we need to improve the care of women so they don’t need to go there in the first place.”

She says that preventing the escalation of post-natal depression is of huge importance and more resources need to be put into this.

She said: “If a woman has a history of mental health problems, for instance, bi-polar disorder, they have a 50% more chance of having it in the post-natal stage.

“We try to screen women who are maybe at risk during pregnancy; it is no good just to react after the baby is born.”

Dr Schofield also thinks GPs should be less afraid to prescribe anti-depressants to pregnant women.

She added: “If women do not get the treatment that is needed, the depression can get worse.

“Every case is different, but for some women anti- depressants are the correct medication.”

THERE is currently a review for the North West mental health services. If you have a recommendation or an issue with PND services, send them to mh.commission@ northwest.nhs.uk, call 0161 237 2352.

Or write to NHS NW Commission on Mental Health Services, Room 451, Gateway House, Piccadilly South, Manchester M60 7LP.

lizawilliams