This Oxford Health team provide outstanding care to women and families and have recently received a number of five star reviews on the independent I Want Great Care website.

The specialist service provides assessment and treatment of women with complex and severe mental health problems during and after pregnancy. The service ensures improved access to treatment and better outcomes for women and families.

They offer specialist perinatal mental health assessments, which focus on both the needs of mother and infant. We consider the support options for women suffering with severe mental illness such as Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Bipolar Affective Disorder and Post-Partum Psychosis.

They also help women with a history of severe mental illness who are planning a pregnancy, or who have become pregnant and are at high risk of relapse during pregnancy or the postnatal year.

Care is provided across Buckinghamshire to women in their own homes wherever possible, enabling them to maintain their roles as mothers while their mental illness is safely treated alongside offering clinics in Aylesbury and High Wycombe.

In 2020 they were named regional South East winner of the NHS Parliamentary Awards Excellence in Mental Health Care.

Claire Daniels, Lead Practitioner said: “I am so proud of the team for all their hard work and dedication to the mothers and babies that we work with. The team go above and beyond for the families and are having a significant positive impact on the long-term outcomes for the families.

“Our dedicated team is made up of a consultant psychiatrist, team manager, mental health practitioners (includes psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, social workers), a clinical psychologist, lead practitioner/deputy team manager, nursery nurses, care support workers and team administrators.

A service user who left a review said: “I was supported quickly and felt like I was genuinely cared about. On a couple of occasions, people drove over to my house when I was in tears on the phone.”

Another patient wrote: “I’m honestly not sure if I can explain how grateful I am for all your help and support you have given to me, my mum and most importantly my girls.  In the last month or so I have achieved so much I honestly never thought I’d be able to do again. Thank you for adapting how you work to meet my needs (lesson plans).  It’s great you have taken the time to get to know me as well.”

A father said: “My wife was well supported which helped her and took a lot of pressure of me. It was nice that somebody checked that I was ok too as sometimes I didn’t feel it.  It is so good that you recognise Dad’s struggle too.”

“I have been supported by the Perinatal Mental Health Team through two pregnancies” said one mum. “I cannot fault the care I have been given. The care has been compassionate and caring but at the same time they have made sure I implemented learned strategies. I attended the compassion group and found this very helpful and enlightening.  This sort of resource should be available for every woman or mother.”

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