Mental health issues when accessing perinatal pathway (FOI)

​Request

A. Please confirm number of women diagnosed and number referred with mental health issues accessing the perinatal pathway since 2012 to 2023 in Jersey. 

B. How many of these women had re-existing [sic] mental health conditions, prior to pregnancy, from 2012 – 2023? 

C. What are the three most common reasons for accessing support through the perinatal pathway, generally, in Jersey?

D. How many women were diagnosed with postpartum psychosis from 2012 – 2023? Did they have a pre-existing mental health diagnosis? 

E. Please confirm how many births were recorded in Jersey from 2012 – 2023. 

F. Why is data not available in a central record to report annual figures for women accessing the perinatal pathway for years prior to 2012? 

G. What services are included in the Perinatal Pathway in Jersey? Is there a model it follows?

Response

A and B

Annual figures been provided in respect of referrals for perinatal mental health care from 2012 to 2023 in a Freedom of Information request published to www.gov.je in April 2024. As this information is available elsewhere, Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

Mental Health Issues related to Pregnancy (FOI)

Information on service user diagnoses, and whether these were pre-existing or newly presenting, is not available to report from a central record. Whilst details of diagnoses will be documented within individual patient records, manual analysis of individual case notes would be required to identify the information requested, with significant interrogation required to establish initial presentation / diagnosis in each case. Performing such manual examination of records available to ascertain diagnosis data would exceed the timescales prescribed in the Freedom of Information (Costs) (Jersey) Regulations 2014. Therefore, Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

C

Anxiety, depression and birth trauma.

D

6 women have been diagnosed in the period 2021 to 2023. This is in line with expected rates of prevalence.

Due to small numbers, Health and Community Services is unable to provide a further breakdown of these figures in respect of pre-existing mental health states, as it may lead to the identification of individuals and breach the confidentiality of their personal information. Therefore, Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied to protect the privacy of individuals.

E

The number of births (live births and stillbirths) registered annually in Jersey can be found in the Superintendent Registrar’s Annual Statements on www.gov.je:

Annual Statements.gov.je

As this information is available elsewhere, Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

F

Digital maturity; Information would be available in individual case notes, but prior to 2012, there is not a centralised digital record to report service user numbers from.

G

The service provision for perinatal mental health has changed over time, with the current service structure and format of the Perinatal Pathway developing following a ‘Children First’ investment in 2021, enabling a more comprehensive service offering. Support is now available up to two years post-partum, and is a flexible opt-in service, enabling service users to leave and re-join, as they choose.

The team is comprised of the following:

Psychiatrist 0.5 FTE

Psychologist 1.0 FTE

Perinatal Nurses 2.0 FTE

Perinatal Mental Health Midwife 1.0 FTE

Peer Support Worker 0.5 FTE

MH Health Visitor 1.0 FTE

Administrative Support

(FTE: Full Time Equivalent)

There is multi-disciplinary team working, and links with other services related to perinatal care; Maternity services, Health Visitors, Brighter Futures and MIND Jersey.

There is a self-referral system, and a universal service is due to be introduced, facilitating access to information through leaflets and signposting additional resources. 

Standard Operating Procedures are being finalised. The service is working towards the Royal College of Psychiatry’s perinatal guidance, as a best practice model.

​Articles applied

Article 16 - A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations. 

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.

Article 25 - Personal information

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005.

(2) Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005; and

(b) its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.​