Maternal Mental Health: The Need for a Collaborative Approach Among Healthcare Practitioners

Around 1 in 5 new mums develop a mental illness, either whilst they’re pregnant or in the first year after their baby is born. From post-natal depression to severe anxiety, these complex health issues can drastically alter the birth experience and leave mums feeling low and confused. Fortunately, research is constantly being conducted into maternal mental health, and knowledge of these issues is increasing year after year. But, to ensure what we learn is implemented properly, a collaborative approach among healthcare practitioners is essential. What Is Collaborative Healthcare? In recent years, collaborative healthcare has gained a lot of attention from professionals and patients alike. But what exactly is it? Essentially, a collaborative approach brings together healthcare professionals of different backgrounds and expertise to work on a single case. It’s the gathering of different minds, knowledge, experience, and skills to form a group of multiple perspectives. In this way, the view and opinion of every professional becomes widened by the knowledge of those around them. These multiple healthcare workers will convalesce directly with the patient and their family. So, not only do the professionals share their differing perspectives among themselves, they also share them with the patient. Collaboration for Maternal Mental Health Collaborative healthcare can look a little different depending on the health issues at hand. In terms of maternal mental health, it usually means bringing in multiple psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and doctors/nurses. The team may include a therapist who takes a holistic approach to mental health and another who’s experienced in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), alongside a doctor with vital knowledge of mental health medication. Working together, this group would explore the patient’s mental health from various angles to find the best course of treatment. Let’s say, for example, that the mum is experiencing severe anxiety about returning to work alongside feelings of post-natal depression. The doctor may take the medicinal approach, assigning medication to relieve the symptoms. The therapist also recommends talking therapy for the trauma mentioned from a past birth. The CBT professional seconds this, and advises that the patient undergo CBT if talking therapy doesn’t see the expected results. It’s a multi-pronged approach that benefits from each practitioner's area of expertise. Benefits of a Collaborative Approach to Maternal Mental Health Maternal mental health isn’t easy to navigate for anyone involved, but a collaborative approach makes it simpler. Here are just some of the reasons why. Improve Patient Outcomes Though still in the fairly early stages of research, the benefits of collaborative healthcare are already being proven. One study, for example, uncovered that collaboration improved patient outcomes in a variety of ways, including:

• Reducing adverse drug reactions
• Decreasing mortality rates
• Improving medication dosages

With multiple perspectives, practitioners are able to make better decisions for their patients. A well-rounded diagnosis and many different suitable solutions are given, making it easier to deal with the complexities of mental health. Improved Access to Health Intervention For a mum struggling with mental health, the thought of going to five different professionals to seek help is likely to be overwhelming. But, with a collaborative approach, they wouldn’t need to. Instead, the mum can visit one professional - like your GP - and instantly be connected with multiple therapists from different fields, who will all be working on their case. This gives mums better access to a wide variety of health intervention options. Solutions they might not have thought of are presented to them, making it far easier for them to get the help they need. Improve the Work Experience of Practitioners It’s widely acknowledged that collaboration can benefit a practitioner’s career in many ways. The NHS lists the advantages of:

• Improving communication
• Saving time
• Improving relationships in the workplace
• Decreasing duplication of tasks and effort

The same study we mentioned earlier also cited increased job satisfaction in its findings. With better job satisfaction comes happier staff and an improved experience for all involved. In summary The benefits of a collaborative approach to maternal mental health are numerous. Studies indicate that it improves patient outcomes by reducing adverse drug reactions, decreasing mortality rates, and optimising medication dosages. It also provides mothers with easier access to a variety of health interventions without the need to consult multiple professionals separately. Furthermore, collaborative healthcare is beneficial for the practitioners themselves, improving communication, saving time, enhancing workplace relationships, and increasing job satisfaction. Ultimately, it leads to a more efficient and effective healthcare system, significantly benefiting both patients and practitioners. Read part 1 here: The importance of maternal mental health