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NHS Education for Scotland

A skilled and sustainable workforce for a healthier Scotland

Perinatal and infant mental health

It is crucial that families are supported to have positive mental health and well-being during the perinatal period (from conception to one year after a baby is born). Untreated perinatal mental health problems present a major public health concern and can have long-term impacts on the physical and mental health outcomes of mothers, babies, partners, and families.

In 2019, the Scottish Government launched a programme of work to increase the provision of perinatal mental health services to women in Scotland. NES is supporting this agenda with workforce expansion and training.

The perinatal and infant mental health curricular framework

This framework sets out the levels of knowledge and skills required by the Scottish workforce to promote well-being and good mental health during the perinatal period and to intervene when mental ill-health is present. The framework was a collaboration with partners, stakeholders and those with lived experience of perinatal mental health problems and is intended to support the identification of workforce training needs.

Find the perinatal mental health curricular framework on Turas Learn.

Perinatal and infant mental health e-learning resources

The overall aim of these seven e-learning modules is to provide a highly detailed introduction to staff working at “Enhanced” and “Specialist levels” within the Perinatal Mental Health Curricular Framework.

Learners may work in Mother and Baby Units, Perinatal CMHTs, Neonatal units or have specialist Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Roles.

Some modules may be relevant for staff in “Informed” and “Skilled” roles.

Please see the Perinatal Mental Health training plan for details on which resources are right for you.

See also our Training plan to guide Health Visitors to access PIMH training.

The perinatal and infant mental health e-learning modules can be accessed on Turas Learn.

These modules complement existing NES perinatal and infant mental health modules:

NES Maternal mental health modules

Neonatal and maternity considerations webinars

Neonatal considerations for the perinatal mental health team - parts 1 to 4: 

Webinar with PMH neonatal : part 1

Webinar with PMH neonatal : part 2

Webinar with PMH neonatal : part 3

Webinar with PMH neonatal : part 4

Maternity considerations for the perinatal mental health team - parts 1 to 3:

Webinar with PMH pregnancy problems with recording : part 1

Webinar with PMH pregnancy problems with recording : part 2

Webinar with PMH pregnancy problems with recording : part 3

 

Further resources relevant to perinatal and infant mental health

  1. NES 1 out of 4 e-learning module on Turas learn
  2. NES modules on psychosocial interventions for neonatal healthcare staff:
    1. Communication skills on Turas Learn
    2. Identifying and managing parental distress in a neonatal unit on Turas Learn
  3. NES module on developing your trauma-skilled practice on Turas Learn.
  4. Perinatal managed clinical network website

Contact us

For more information on the resources or the perinatal workforce training plan, please contact psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk

Last updated: 04/04/2023

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