New guidance will see mothers benefit from more extensive mental and physical GP check-ups in the weeks after they give birth, NHS England has announced.
The news means that all of the circa 600,000 women that give birth in England every year will be entitled to a more comprehensive postnatal check-up that covers mental health, physical recovery, breastfeeding, and family planning.
The guidance has been developed in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners and asks that all women are provided personalised care in the weeks after childbirth.
The health service views the routine appointments as an opportunity for GPs to help mothers faster – particularly with their mental health.
In the last year, more than 53,000 new mothers have received specialist perinatal mental health support, with dozens of new maternal mental health services being set up across the country too.
The new guidance also highlights various conversations points for GPs to discuss a range of topics, including:
- Breastfeeding
- Physical recovery
- Pelvic health
- Contraception
- Preexisting medical condition
- Conditions that arose during pregnancy
According to the health service, the aim of this is to help GPs tailor check-ups and better support individual women, rather than appointments being a box-ticking exercise.
NHS England’s medical director for primary care, Dr Claire Fuller, said: “More than 600,000 women give birth every year in England, and so it is vital that they can get the right NHS mental health and physical support at what can be a hugely pressured moment in their lives.”
Dr Fuller, who is also England’s lead GP, continued: “GPs are perfectly placed to offer new mums a welfare checks 6 to 8 weeks after giving birth – for not only their physical health but also their mental wellbeing and this new NHS guidance published today ensures that family doctors have the resources to provide this comprehensive support.”
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