Life begins...: BBC NEWS | Health | Postnatal mental care 'lacking'

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Anonymous said...: It seems to be my week for talking about mental health on other people's blogs, so why fight it.
The article said:

Many areas do not have specialist mother and baby units, so women with severe mental illness end up on general psychiatric wards with their babies.

I would be incredibly suprised if this were true. I control the admissions for the psychiatric hospital in halifax and I would never never put a baby in there too. And if I did a) the ward wouldn't accept it, and b) i'd probably be fired.

There are a lack of mother and baby units though - the nearest is leeds although I imagine Manchester have one. But things have to get pretty bad for someone to need admission anyway.

And postnatal depression is very much neglected in the health services, as are many "mild" mental health problems - if there is no risk of suicide or hurting others people sometimes get passed over in order to prioritise the thin resources.

Rant over.; 7:55 am