Creating safer spaces and faster support for perinatal care
Reducing wait times in community perinatal services
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has recently taken significant steps to reduce waiting times for women needing specialist perinatal assessments, and the positive impact is already being felt.
Reports from MBRRACE-UK consistently show that suicide is the leading cause of direct maternal death between six weeks and one year after pregnancy, with mental health-related issues accounting for 33 to 40% of deaths in this period. Early intervention can transform outcomes for women, their families and wider society, and these figures highlight how crucial it is for women to be able to access the right support at the right time.
To respond to this need, Derbyshire Healthcare's community perinatal teams introduced a series of targeted actions designed to improve perinatal community services.
Shelley Chatten, Perinatal Provider Collaborative Lead at Derbyshire Healthcare said:
To reduce waiting times, the Trust redeployed experienced inpatient staff to support community assessments. This has enabled more women to be seen sooner and given the support they need, when they need it.
Alongside this, the teams have worked to streamline clinical pathways and strengthen coordination across services. By improving how referrals move through the system, the Trust has been able to create a more responsive experience for patients. Collaboration with local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations has also played a key role, offering women access to wider support networks that complement clinical care.
These changes have led to measurable improvements, helping the perinatal mental health service in Derbyshire to meet local timescale targets, ensuring that women receive timely and compassionate support.
Creating a comfortable and safe environment
The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit at the Royal Derby Hospital site has recently re-opened following an eight-week closure to make some important improvements. New air conditioning units were installed to ensure a more comfortable and clinically safe environment for mothers and their babies.
Based within the Radbourne Unit, the Beeches is a specialised accredited six-bed inpatient service that supports women from 32 weeks of pregnancy up to one year after giving birth. The unit provides a space where mothers can stay together with their babies while receiving the care they need. Treatment is given by a consultant psychiatrist, psychiatric nurses, nursery nurses and health care assistants, with access to occupational therapy and psychology services if needed.
The new air conditioning system has now been fitted in all six bedrooms as well as the nursery. This upgrade helps the service maintain the right environment for infant safety and wellbeing. It also brings the unit in line with Perinatal Quality Network Standards, which recommend that infant sleeping rooms are kept between 16 and 20°C. This temperature range supports national safe sleep guidance, helping reduce risks and promote best practice for families.