An audit of maternal mental health assessments in the perinatal period using a new risk assessment document developed by a Scottish health board

Abstract

The UK and Scottish Governments are pledging investment for maternal and infant mental health services. Nurses taking on advanced nursing roles within these developing services need to be aware of the specific risks that pertain to the perinatal period. A plethora of professional reports and women's lived experience have identified a lack of understanding to their needs and poor communication between health professionals, highlighting the need for robust risk assessments. New documentation was developed by NHS Forth Valley, with an embedded risk assessment to be used by all mental health services. An audit of 50 cases in perinatal services using the new documentation was measured against the standards for risk assessment set by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Just under half of the women who were assessed did not have risks identified and for those who did, the majority of risks scored as low. The free text clinical notes of the risks on the new documentation identified specific risks to the mother, unborn child/infant and others.