Perinatal Mental Health Peer Support

Perinatal mental illness affects up to 20% of women, and covers a wide range of conditions across a continuum of presentation from mild to severe. If left untreated, it can have significant and long lasting effects on the woman, her child and family.

Suffolk's co-production work with families and with stakeholders has shown that women with perinatal mental health problems currently feel unsupported and experience longer term difficulties as a result. Families have also told us there is a need for further support once they have been discharged from specialist services and that they would value more peer support.

Ipswich and East Suffolk and West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Groups are seeking to work with the voluntary sector to pilot a sustainable model of peer support which will enable women and their families with experience of perinatal mental health problems overcome isolation and promote their mental health and wellbeing.

The pilot will cover East and West Suffolk and we would want providers to demonstrate experience of:

• working with women and families who have suffered severe perinatal mental health issues

• creating a social network

• running a large number of social activities for parents and carers of young children

• developing and maintaining a digital platform to promote activities and provide support

• training ambassadors/support workers.

If you feel your organisation has proven and demonstrable experience of delivering this type of service and are interested in looking to deliver the service for a short term pilot please contact Jane Garnett, jane.garnett@suffolk.nhs.uk to express an interest.