Mum's concern for new parents after NHS service cut

A mother, who had therapy while pregnant and after giving birth, says she is worried for other new parents after the closure of a specialist NHS mental health service.

Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (ICB) took the decision to close its Infant Parent Perinatal Service, after a reduction in funding from Oxfordshire County Council.

Jai Adhyaru, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, received similar support from a local charity and said the closure of the NHS service, "could impact on safety" if new parents don't get the help they need.

The integrated care board said it is working with partners across Oxfordshire to ensure that "families receive the care that they need, when they need it".

Adhyaru and partner Antonis are looking forward to celebrating baby Siya-Katerina's first birthday later this month, but the last year has been challenging.

Her pregnancy came as a surprise and after having worrying feelings about becoming a new mum, she was put in touch with the Oxford Parent Infant Project.

She credits the therapy she received as helping her to bond with her daughter and to come to terms with the changes that motherhood brings.

"We were looking forward to those weekly sessions, in those first few weeks. We can't talk about it [during the day], we're too tired and too stressed out. But we'll save that for our sessions," she said.

But the charity only has the capacity to see about 200 people each year.

With an estimated 3,500 families needing mental health support, most new parents are instead referred into the Oxford Health-run Infant Parent Perinatal Service (IPPS).

The NHS service was previously funded through a pooled budget, with contributions from Thames Valley ICB and the county council.

But after the local authority withdrew its annual contribution, estimated to be in the region of £700,000, the service is due to close this month.

The decision has been criticised by MP for Henley and Thames, Freddie Van Mierlo.

"I am concerned with the closure of this service, that parents won't know where to go. There might not be a clear pathway and there might not be the resources to meet their need when they come forward, " he said.

Van Mierlo has now asked the secretary of state for health, James Murray MP, to step in and reverse the decision over concerns the withdrawal of IPPS, along with two other dedicated mental health programmes, amounted to a significant change in local NHS services.

In a letter seen by the BBC, Sam Burrows, Chief System Development and Engagement Officer at Thames Valley ICB said he was "satisfied the decision was taken lawfully" and that "appropriate services remain available".

Oxfordshire County Council has declined to comment.

Chief Executive of Oxford Parent Infant Project, Dr Karen Bateson said the closure would impact both parents and babies: "When parents don't get treatment early for mental health difficulties, problems often become harder and they become more expensive to treat.

"We now the best thing we can do for a baby is to make sure the people caring for them are emotionally well themselves."