§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all antenatal clinics have in place a procedure for identifying mothers at risk of postnatal depression. [100098]
§ Yvette Cooper"The Report on Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in the United Kingdom 1994–1996" recommended that the early identification of women at risk of postnatal mental illness or self harm should become part of routine practice. At the maternity booking stage, brief details should be taken about the presence or history of maternal psychiatric disorder, alcohol or substance abuse, severe social problems and previous self harm. Mechanisms should be in place to ensure effective psychiatric liaison as well as to provide appropriate support. The report's recommendations were widely circulated to health professionals in the National Health Service in November 1998.
§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list, by region, the number of psychiatric beds available in mother and baby units for the treatment of women suffering from postnatal depression; [100099]
(2) how many women were admitted to psychiatric hospitals and units as a result of postnatal depression by region, for each of the past five years: what proportion of those women were treated in (a) mother and baby units and (b) in general psychiatric wards. [100100]
§ Yvette CooperThe information is not collected centrally in the form requested. However, there were an estimated 613 finished consultant episodes recorded with a primary diagnoses of puerperium (post natal depression occurring within six weeks of delivery) during 1996–97, the latest year for which information is available. A patient may, of course, have more than one episode of treatment during a year.