Referrals

Referral forms should be sent by email to slm-tr.perinatalservicereferrals@nhs.net. 

Referral form download:  slam-perinatal-referral-form.doc [doc] 368KB

The Perinatal Mental Health Teams are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. 

For referrals outside these hours: 

• Urgent referrals for maternity inpatients: contact the duty psychiatrist in the hospital
• Urgent referrals for women in the community: contact the GP or ask the patient to attend the A&E department
• Non-urgent referrals: please send referral form to email address above and this will be discussed the next morning

If there is significant concern about a woman who does not wish to be referred she can be discussed anonymously for advice. Please call the local team to speak to the duty clinician. 

If there is a doubt whether a woman should be referred to the service, this can be discussed anonymously for advice. Please call the local team to speak to the duty clinician.

In-Patient Mother and Baby Unit

The Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) at the Bethlem Royal Hospital is a 13-bedded unit. The unit has 11 acute mental health beds and two parenting assessment beds. 

The MBU accepts referrals made for women who are in the third trimester of pregnancy or in the year following the birth of their baby. 

Referrals are accepted electronically on the MBU generic referral form or through WebBeds.

Referrals are screened regularly by the multidisciplinary team and outcomes of the referral screenings are communicated to the referrers and admission arranged if a bed is offered. 

Referrals are considered for the following: 

• Women who are acutely mentally ill who are unable to be safely managed by community mental health services and other allied professionals
• Women who are currently stable in mental state however have a pre-existing moderate to severe mental illness who are at increased risk of relapse post-delivery. This type of admission is referred to as a prophylactic admission and is for two to three weeks immediately post-delivery in order to monitor the woman’s mental state and commence treatment promptly if required.
• Women who are considered to be at their optimum level of functioning who are stable in mental state who have a pre-existing moderate to severe mental illness which may have an impact upon the woman’s ability to appropriately and safely parent their child can be referred for a six to nine week parenting assessment which is funded separately to our health beds.

Referral for parenting assessments are welcomed from Children's Social Services, the Family Court and legal representatives in addition to the agencies listed above.