Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:29 pm on 29 September 2021.
Thank you, Deputy Minister, for that update. It's estimated that in Wales over 9,000 women suffer for postpartum PTSD, and one in five women suffer with their emotional well-being during the perinatal period. Early research suggests that this figure will inevitably rise. This, sadly, doesn't come as a surprise. The difficult but much needed service changes, made by health boards across Wales during the pandemic, ensured that mothers, partners and staff were COVID safe, but this has had a profound effect on their birthing experience. It's absolutely vital that mothers and partners who have suffered throughout the perinatal period receive the correct diagnosis and the correct support. Will the Deputy Minister work with the Wales Perinatal Mental Health Network and national clinical lead for perinatal mental health in Wales to ensure that perinatal mental health is included in pre-registration training for all mental health practitioners and all health professionals working in the perinatal period?