New baby loss mental health service to launch in Peterborough
NHS mental health service aims to support mothers across the region who have suffered the loss of a baby
A new maternal mental health service for women in Peterborough who have experienced the loss of a baby is set to be launched by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) .
The Perinatal Trauma and Loss Service (PTLS) aims to offer assessment, psychological treatment and specialist midwifery support to women who are experiencing mental health difficulties following a perinatal loss.
All women who have lost a baby during any stage of pregnancy, or within the first year of the baby’s life, will be eligible to receive treatment at the City Care Centre on Thorpe Road.
“The loss of a baby is a devastating experience for many families,” said Dr Zoe Rawlings, Principal Clinical Psychologist with PTLS.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust provides integrated community, mental health and learning disability services, across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, as well as children’s community services within Peterborough.
“We are very pleased to be expanding our perinatal provision in the area by starting this service which will provide vital support for women in our area,” Dr Rawlings added.
The PTLS has already opened for referrals in the Cambridge and Ely area. The initiative will expand to include Peterborough, Huntingdon and Fenland in 2025.
Women can access the Perinatal Trauma and Loss Service Support via a referral from their GP or health care professional.
Following an initial assessment, those who are eligible can access a range of specialist psychological therapies including for grief and trauma.
Alongside the clinical psychologists working within the team, there are also specialist midwives who can support women who are having or considering having another baby.
“We have put a lot of thought into how best to support those who will be referred to our service, including getting the views of mothers with lived experience of losing a baby,” Dr Rawlings said.
“We are proud to be opening to referrals and supporting women towards their recovery.”
Anyone who would like to find out more about the Perinatal Trauma and Loss Service can do so by calling 0800 952 0060 or visiting the CPFT website at https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/ptls.