Maternal mental health service expands to support patients across Essex

​A maternal mental health service, provided by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), has expanded and now offers countywide support.

By Your Side, provided in collaboration with midwifery colleagues, offers therapeutic care and grief therapy for women and birthing parents who have experienced a perinatal loss.

The service launched in south west Essex last October. Since then it has gradually expanded to support patients registered with GPs across the county.

By Your Side is the first specialist psychological and therapeutic service for perinatal loss in Essex. It supports women who have experienced a miscarriage at any stage of their pregnancy, stillbirth, neonatal death or planned termination, and have been significantly affected by the loss.

EPUT's existing perinatal mental health service in the community works with people who are antenatal or postnatal with a baby up to one year old. By Your Side has been commissioned to bridge that gap by providing a course of therapy to those who have been significantly affected by loss.

To find out more about the service, how to obtain a referral, and other support available for family members and loved ones, please visit eput.nhs.uk/byyourside