To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps his Department is taking to ensure staff are trained to support the specific needs of postpartum mothers within psychiatric settings.

The Regional Perinatal Mental Health Care Pathway was launched by the Public Health Agency on 5 March 2025.

The new pathway provides clear guidance to all HSC professionals who care for women in the antenatal and postnatal period across all settings, inclusive of primary care. Perinatal Mental Health multidisciplinary specialist teams will provide holistic assessments, planning and treatment, inclusive of a ‘whole family’ approach, for women with moderate-to-severe mental health issues from 12 weeks gestation, right up to one year following the birth.

These specialist teams are made up of psychiatric nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, health visitors, psychologists, midwives, and psychotherapists. This is to be implemented by each HSC Trust, with the Public Health Agency’s Regional Perinatal Mental Health Team, responsible for monitoring and updating the Perinatal Mental Health Pathway.

Staff training is an operational matter and therefore it is the responsibility of individual Health and Social Care Trusts to ensure their staff are appropriately trained to meet the specific needs of individuals in their care.