Meet our amazing perinatal mental health team. Together, Consultant Obstetrician, Dr Alina Vais, Joint Lead Midwife, Georgia Marshall and Joint Lead Practitioner, Ali Lowe, are leading the way on a multi-disciplinary team approach which is making a huge difference to the mental wellbeing of women throughout their pregnancy journey.

Women are referred to the service by our CHFT midwives if there is a concern about mental health, or a history of a moderate to serious mental health condition, at the time of booking in. Following a referral, the team will make contact within two weeks, and in an emergency, within four hours.

The team hold a clinic at HRI each Friday and provide support through our community midwifery service in Calderdale. Though the team is only small, they make sure that every woman they see has a regular appointment with the same person, making sure they have continuity of care, but also using a joined up approach by working with other colleagues in CHFT.

Georgia (pictured left) said: “We have seen how much the demand is increasing for a service like ours. It is good to see how people have increased confidence in disclosing previous or current mental health concerns or diagnosis when first booking in with our maternity services. I think it is an acknowledgement of how we are all trying to open up the conversation around mental health and wellbeing, so it is less of a taboo subject. 

Ali (pictured right) added: “We get fantastic feedback from the women we care for. We put out a Facebook post about our team and shared what we do for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week last year in May and were overwhelmed with the comments from women we have cared for who said we made a huge impact on their experience of pregnancy.”

Alina said: “Our small team, together with colleagues from maternity, and other areas, are making a difference here in helping reduce inequalities for women. We know that positive mental health and wellbeing has a big impact on mum and baby especially during those early years. Thank you as well to our colleagues in maternity, and our community midwives, for initiating those conversations to make sure we can support people in the best way possible.”

Just some of the comments the team have received are:

“I get to look across the room and see my baby smile back at me, and it wouldn’t be possible without their top-notch care.”

“She was absolutely incredible. Gives the best listening ear and hugs when things got a bit too much, thank you for everything.”

“So supportive and reassuring, I could not have done it without her.”

“Absolutely amazing she helped me so much throughout my pregnancy and I’ll be forever grateful that I met her.”