‘Too few’ Health Visitors to meet call for more postnatal
depression treatment
16 January 2009
There are too few health visitors to implement the findings of
new research saying that the profession could help new mothers
suffering from postnatal depression.
Unite, the largest union in the country, which embraces the
Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, was
commenting on University of Sheffield research which said that new
mothers developing postnatal depression would be helped if health
visitors are trained to spot signs and offer psychological
help.
Dr Cheryll Adams, Unite Lead Professional Officer, Strategy
& Practice Development, said that a recent Unite/CPHVA
survey revealed that of the 829 health visitors interviewed,
a third reported that they were not confident that their NHS
trust’s service allowed cases of postnatal depression to picked
up.
She said: ‘Recent cuts in health visitor workforces have led to
the closure of many postnatal depression services delivered by
health visitors.’
‘If mothers are found to have postnatal depression, most prefer
health visitor counselling interventions over drugs. However, there
are too few health visitors available to perform this important
service for new mothers.’
‘This research provides clear evidence for reinstating a
properly resourced and trained health visiting workforce to address
this debilitating illness. Untreated postnatal depression can
have severe implications, not only for the mother but for her whole
family.’
University of Sheffield researchers looked at 4,000 women. At
the six or eight-week check, 600 women - 15% - were found to have
signs of postnatal depression. This equates to some 100,000 women a
year suffering from postnatal depression across the UK.
-ends-
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
For further information, please ring: Cheryll Adams, Lead
Professional Officer, Strategy & Practice
Development 07712 678 281; Obi Amadi, Lead Professional
Officer, Policy & External Affairs 07780 955 936; Shaun Noble,
Communications Officer (Health Sector) 020 7420 8951 or 07768
693 940
Unite is campaigning against the imposed three-year NHS pay deal
which will mean pay rises being barely 50% of the current
rate of inflation. More information is available on the 'campaigns'
page of the website www.amicustheunion.org
Unite Health Sector web page www.unitetheunion.org/health
Unite/CPHVA press releases can be seen on the CPHVA website:
www.unitetheunion.org/cphva
Unite is the largest union in the UK. It has seven
professional sections: the Community Practitioners’ and
Health Visitors’ Association, the Mental Health Nurses Association,
the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, the Society of Sexual Health
Advisers, the Medical Practitioners’ Union, College of Healthcare
Chaplains, and the Hospital Physicists Association.
Unite was formed by an amalgamation of Amicus and the Transport
and General Workers’ Union in May 2007.
