Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Mental health conditionsSickness absence managementWellbeing and health promotionOccupational HealthOHW+

Royal college calls for more support around postpartum psychosis

by Nic Paton 8 May 2024
by Nic Paton 8 May 2024 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Between 600 and 1,200 mothers experience postpartum psychosis each year in England and Wales, a royal college has warned.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is as a result calling for more emphasis to be put on mental health support before, during and after pregnancy.

Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric and medical emergency that causes high mood (mania), depression, confusion, hallucinations and delusions.

If left untreated, it can increase the risk of suicide and, in rare cases, put the baby’s life at risk too. The illness can develop rapidly and most commonly occurs during the first two weeks after a child is born.

Mothers and their partners are often unaware of this illness and the risks associated with it, the college has highlighted.

The college and the NHS have published information resources to help inform people about the signs to look out for, the treatments available and where to seek help.

Severe mental illness

Suicide rate rise in England “very concerning”, says charity

Screening gaps heightening risk of perinatal mental illness

Dr Cressida Manning, chair of the Faculty of Perinatal Psychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “Every year, hundreds of mothers suffer from postpartum psychosis which puts both their health and the health of their baby at great risk. It also robs women of precious moments with their newborn, and this can be deeply traumatic if they don’t receive compassionate and personalised care quickly.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“With the right support, women with postpartum psychosis can fully recover from their illness and develop a loving and meaningful bond with their child. Perinatal mental health services are specifically designed to help them recuperate and care for their baby at the same time.

“Although we have seen improvements, government must ensure the mental health of pregnant women and mothers is not treated as an afterthought. They must be offered specialist care throughout their pregnancy and after they have given birth,” Dr Manning added.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Less than a third to award above-inflation pay rises in 2024
next post
iOH achieves charity status to cement public health focus

You may also like

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Four ways employers can reduce the risk of...

14 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Call for better mental health support for NHS...

17 Apr 2025

Computer says no: IT woes giving employees sleepless...

15 Apr 2025

Nearly half did not take even one full...

14 Apr 2025

Quarter feel their employer is ineffective at managing...

11 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today