AQW 630/16-21

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 06/06/2016
Answered On Date: 14/06/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health if she has any plans to (i) establish a perinatal mental health unit; and (ii) increase the budget for perinatal mental health to allow for the establishment of a dedicated staff team.

Answer:

The Health and Social Care Board has developed outline proposals for the future development of specialist perinatal mental health services, in line with NICE guideline CG192. These proposals include specialist community based services and a regional mother and baby unit.

The estimated cost of developing these specialist services is £1.9 million. Future development of these services is subject to additional resources being secured. Funding requirements will be considered alongside a wide range of competing priorities, both during in-year monitoring, and in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.