Perinatal Mental Health Team
We specialise in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of women affected by moderate to severe mental health problems during and after pregnancy.
We offer specialist advice about the use of mental health medications during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding.
We also offer pre-conception advice for women planning a pregnancy who have concerns about their mental health.
We offer specialist treatments that can help you and your baby’s bond.
For everyone who is accepted into our service, we aim to make contact within 14 days. In an emergency, we would aim to see you within 4 hours. If you are planning a pregnancy, we would aim to see you within 28 days.
We will work together with you, your family and other services involved in your care. This will include midwives, obstetricians, health visitors and GPs, as well as social care, other mental health teams and voluntary sector organisations.
We will agree an individualised plan of care for you during your pregnancy and in the postnatal period.
We realise that it can be difficult to travel to clinics. Therefore, if you have difficulty leaving home for whatever reason, all of our clinical team can see you at home or another location acceptable to you, as long as it is safe for us to do so.
You are very welcome to have your partner, a family member or a friend to be with you at any appointment.
We also run antenatal and postnatal therapy groups in all our local areas.
Support offered
- Care planning relating to help required during pregnancy/early postnatal days, and for help in first postnatal year relating to your mental health and how it affects your bond with baby
- Specialist medication advice during pregnancy and during breastfeeding
- Group interventions, to improve your ability to manage your emotions in pregnancy, being mindful of baby and your own needs
- Compassion-focused therapy
- Family therapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Contact with our peer support worker (a woman with lived experience of postnatal mental health problems), who also provides baby massage
- Video Interaction Guidance (a specialist treatment which involves video recording; this is proven to improve your bond with baby)
- Joint work alongside your midwife, health visitor and any other professional services required, to ensure your care is joined up between different services
- Telephone and face to face assessments are offered in a location suitable to yourself, either at home, clinics, GP surgery or other suitable community services
Accessing the service
- Tel: 01924 316009
- Email: PerinatalTeam@swyt.nhs.uk
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Who should be referred
Referrals should be made by either completing our referral form and return to PerinatalTeam@swyt.nhs.uk or contacting our team on 01924 316009.
In an emergency/out of hours, please contact your local Single Point of Access (SPA – as on our downloadable service leaflet)
In an emergency, we will aim to see you with our Intensive Home-Based Treatment Team within 4 hours.
Updated: February 2025
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Clinical support group
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Brain and mental health
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Clinical support area
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Service typeMental health
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ProviderSouth West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - Mental Health Services
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Telephone01924 316009
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Email address
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