What mental health services should be available after the postnatal period?

Abstract

Introduction

Mothers with severe mental illness may require mental health support through postnatal services. However, little is known about what services are actually provided to support parents after the postnatal period in Europe.

Aims

To explore existing services for parents with severe mental illness after the postnatal period across Europe.

Methods

Mental health specialists from major cities in nine European countries were asked to identify all health and social services available for mothers with psychosis after the postnatal period. They received two case vignettes and completed a data collection sheet for every identified service. Data analysis used semi-quantitative methods to describe the identified services.

Results

A wide range of different services was identified with no systematic coverage of specific target groups or target problems. Likewise, their scope was extremely diverse, ranging from simple telephone advice to multi-professional support for multiple complex problems. Most services targeted parents or families in general but would at least in principle be available for parents with severe mental illness. A much smaller number specialized on targeted help for parents with mental illness.

Conclusions

Patchy and heterogeneous service provision may make it difficult to navigate support systems for both patients and professionals. Systematic research is required, e.g. on the use, the costs, and patient experiences in different types of services, so that service provision can be based on some evidence. Given the differences in service provision across European countries, such research might use international comparisons for evaluating the benefits of different types of services for parents with severe illnesses.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.