Chamber and committees

I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-28877 on 18 May 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Quality Indicators do not currently include this measurement. They are listed here https://www.gov.scot/publications/mental-health-quality-indicators-background-secondary-definitions/pages/8/ .

This data is centrally held by Public Health Scotland (PHS). The following tables present the number of admissions to Mother and Baby Units in Scotland in the period 2017 – 2019 (up to and including December 2019), broken down by treatment unit and year of admission in Table 1 and then further broken down by patient health board of residence in Table 2.

Table 1. Number of admissions to Mother and Baby Units by Year, 2017-2019.

The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board (PNIMH-PB) agreed to undertake a review of access to MBU inpatient care for women with the most severe perinatal mental illness. A Short Life Expert Working Group (SLWG) was established to address three distinct areas:

- To articulate the evidence of need for additional MBU inpatient capacity.

- To consider the current impact on other mental health services when patients are not cared for in an MBU.

- To make recommendations to the PNIMH-PB regarding appropriate next steps.

The consensus from the professionals of the SLWG, including representatives from the Managed Clinical Network who made the original recommendation, was that there was not currently sufficient evidence to suggest need for additional beds. Additionally, there may be a number of sustainability and safety concerns with establishing a third MBU. Before undertaking a formal options appraisal, the SLWG advised that community perinatal mental health specialist teams needed to be established in order to see what impact that had on services and demand initially.

Once initial work to establish community specialist teams is underway, the Programme Board will consider the need to commence a formal options appraisal, which might also consider alternative models of specialist support for women with acute perinatal mental health needs. We will also take into consideration the views of women and families when considering the options for additional MBU provision.

This will be a key priority in the forthcoming Programme Board Delivery Plan for 2020-21.

Yes, the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board has commissioned the Perinatal Managed Clinical Network to carry out this review, in conjunction with The Robertson Trust.

The two Mother and Baby Units in Scotland are regionally managed. However, admission is available to women and infants from all health board areas in Scotland, based on clinical need. The Scottish Government expects that where admission to an inpatient unit is required, that women and infants will be admitted appropriately, in line with clinical judgement and the wishes of the patient.

Leverndale Mother and Baby Unit (managed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde) has contractual arrangements with: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Highland, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Western Isles

St John’s Mother and Baby Unit (Managed by NHS Lothian) has contractual arrangements with: NHS Borders, NHS Fife, NHS Highland and NHS Tayside, NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland .

NHS Grampian and NHS Forth Valley do not hold contractual arrangements with either MBU but are able to access either resource on a case by case basis.

An independent research agency on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland is currently engaging with national representative organisations and local authority equalities officers to understand best practice regarding communications with key groups which have protected characteristics (in particular disability and age).

The recommendations from this work will inform our approach to communications with these groups regarding Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme and will be shared with any scheme administrator(s) once approved.

The following table details the information requested:

The following table details the information requested:

Disabled people and carers have been engaged through one-to-one interviews conducted by an independent research agency on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland to understand their views on Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme.