Opening the door: what helps and what gets in the way of women seeking maternal mental health support services
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Wessex Voices (Healthwatch Dorset; Healthwatch Hampshire; Healthwatch Isle of Wight; Healthwatch Southampton; Healthwatch Portsmouth) were asked by NHS England South East Clinical Delivery Network for Perinatal Mental Health to explore the barriers and enablers in terms of women accessing perinatal mental health support.
They completed 14 in-depth interviews with women from Slough, Merstham and Portsmouth.
Key barriers:
- People felt that perinatal services weren’t for them, which can discourage women from seeking help.
- People were reluctant to ask for help for fear of being judged.
- People worried that there were long waiting lists that would delay them getting help.
Key enablers:
- Many felt that community support was helpful.
- The way questions were asked was important; they want to feel that staff are asking meaningful questions and care about the answer, and that staff validate their experiences.
- Professionals need to read between the lines because people may feel reluctant to share.
- Make it simple to access care and ensure people aren’t discharged early.
- Proactive support during pregnancy explaining how to get help after giving birth.