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