To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps his Department is taking to ensure that women experiencing poor mental health during pregnancy or following childbirth do not fall between (i) maternity services; (ii) primary care; and (iii) mental health services, particularly where there is a risk of self-harm or suicide.

My Department recognises the importance of ensuring that women experiencing mental health difficulties during pregnancy and the first year following birth receive coordinated care and do not fall between (i) maternity services, (ii) primary care and (iii) mental health services.

A range of measures are in place to support integrated working and continuity of care across these services, including specialist perinatal mental health services, regional care pathways and multidisciplinary care planning arrangements

Regional Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services have been established across all five Health and Social Care Trusts to provide specialist assessment, treatment and support for women experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties during the perinatal period. The updated Regional Perinatal Mental Health Care Pathway supports referral, assessment, information sharing, care planning and follow-up across services throughout pregnancy and the first postnatal year. Women may be referred by maternity services, GPs, health visitors, community mental health services and other healthcare professionals. For women with significant mental health needs, multidisciplinary care planning arrangements, including Pregnancy and Early Postnatal Plans where appropriate, support coordinated care, risk management and communication between the professionals involved in their treatment and support

My Department has also supported enhanced staff training, early identification of perinatal mental health difficulties, and the implementation of crisis intervention pathways and out-of-hours support arrangements for women experiencing acute mental distress.

Where there are concerns regarding self-harm or suicide risk, women are assessed and managed according to their individual clinical needs, with specialist mental health input provided where required. Through these arrangements, my Department seeks to promote effective partnership working and timely access to specialist support during pregnancy and the first year following birth.