On 22nd November 2023, Parent and Infant Mental Health Scotland (PIMHS) and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) hosted a roundtable discussion at the Scottish Parliament. In attendance were lived experience experts, clinicians, health professionals, third-sector organisations and MSPs, all with a vested interest in specialist perinatal mental health (PMH) services in Scotland.
The event aimed to take stock of what position Scotland’s specialist PMH services are in and to hear different perspectives on what must be done now to maintain focus and investment in this area. The roundtable was sponsored and chaired by Tess White MSP, who is a strong advocate for improving access to and standards of PMH services. The roundtable demonstrated the passion and commitment of those involved in all aspects of this work. There is a collective understanding that while there has been significant progress, action must be taken to ensure improvements do not stall or regress. A briefing covering the key learning points from the Parliamentary roundtable will be released in the New Year.