Project Description
This guide is for all healthcare professionals involved in the care of women with serious mental illness (SMI) in primary and secondary care, including: general adult psychiatrists, mental health nurses, care coordinators, GPs, health visitors, physician’s associates, non-medical prescribers, healthcare staff in obstetric care who work with women with serious mental illness and perinatal psychiatrists.
This guide will support healthcare professionals to:
- Help their patients to take a long-term holistic approach to preconception care.
- Start and maintain healthy conversations on family planning, physical health, weight management, nutrition, alcohol/substance misuse and smoking.
- Discuss specific considerations that need to be taken on fertility, sexual health and pregnancy.
- Develop a reflective practice to be aware of biases and understand the impact of those conversations with patients.
- Support women with serious mental illness to develop a pre-conception plan.
- Signpost to further resources.
Created by NHS, PHE, King’s College and Tommy’s