Leeds Community Perinatal Mental Health Service (LYPFT) provides specialist support to women experiencing significant mental health difficulties during pregnancy and the first year following a child’s birth. The service also provides inpatient care at the Yorkshire and Humber Mother and Baby Unit and through an Outreach Service that offers three care options to women and mental health professionals across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Who the service supports

Leeds Community Perinatal Mental Health Service supports women with a Leeds-based GP who are experiencing more complex difficulties or when input from other services has not resolved someone’s difficulties.

The service works with women who:

  • Have a history of serious mental health difficulties and are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant.
  • Have a family history of serious mental health difficulties such as bipolar disorder or postpartum psychosis.
  • Are experiencing mental health difficulties in which it is felt that specialist perinatal intervention would be beneficial.

The service offers a range of interventions to support women and their families during the perinatal period and will often work alongside colleagues in other teams as part of an overall package of care. The team offers a variety of support options including:

  • A complete assessment including liaison with other professionals to inform future care planning and support.
  • Preconception counselling.
  • Care planning and co-ordination in the perinatal period.
  • Specialist advice on risks and benefits of medication in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • Nursery nurse sessions including baby massage and sensory play.
  • Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) – a mother-infant intervention to improve attachment and communication.
  • Group work.
  • Family work.
  • Peer support.
  • Partner support.
  • Young carers support.
  • Psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). The service offers specialist psychological therapies to women, babies and their families for perinatal-centred difficulties and where the therapeutic intervention requires a perinatal focus.

They are offering an adapted service to women and their families during the Covid-19 pandemic. The service offer now includes online video and telephone methods in addition to face-to-face work, in order to maintain access to the service while following the latest national and local guidance on maintaining safety.

How to access Leeds Community Perinatal Service

Referrals are welcomed from health professionals within Leeds including GPs, obstetricians, health visitors, midwives and mental health teams. The team is happy to take telephone enquiries from other professionals who are working with families.

You can make a referral to Leeds Community Perinatal Mental Health Service by downloading a referral form and then sending it securely to perinataldutydesk.lypft@nhs.net.

If you need to discuss a referral, call the team Duty Clinician, on 0113 855 5505, Monday – Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm.