Latest news with #RCPsych
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
The signs of postnatal depression to look out for
Up to 85,000 new mothers in England may have been impacted by postnatal depression last year, according to new analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych). The RCPsych warns that untreated postnatal depression, which affected almost 15 per cent of new mothers, can be 'truly devastating' and lead to the 'unnecessary' deaths of women and sometimes their babies. Maternal suicide is highlighted as the leading cause of death in women from six weeks to a year after birth. Symptoms can include persistent feelings of sadness, low mood, a lack of interest, trouble sleeping, and potentially thoughts of harming the baby. The RCPsych urges women and their partners to seek support for these treatable conditions, which can be managed with talking therapies or antidepressants, with medics assuring medication safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Up to 85,000 women may have had postnatal depression last year, analysis finds
Up to 85,000 new mothers in England may have been impacted by postnatal depression last year, according to new analysis. The illness can be 'truly devastating' when left untreated, potentially leading to the 'unnecessary' deaths of women and sometimes their babies, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) warned. Postnatal depression is a condition that can develop after childbirth. While many women may feel tearful or anxious after giving birth, this does not usually last for more than two weeks. Persistent feelings of sadness, low mood, a lack of interest in things and a lack of energy could indicate postnatal depression. Other symptoms can include trouble sleeping, withdrawing from other people, problems concentrating and scary thoughts, such as thinking about hurting your baby. Using Office for National Statistics data which shows there were 567,708 live births in 2024, RCPsych estimates between 56,000 to 85,000 mothers – or between 10% to 15% – may have experienced postnatal depression. The college highlights that maternal suicide is the leading cause of death in women from six weeks to a year after birth and also said prenatal mental illness – conditions that develop during pregnancy – can put unborn babies at risk of premature birth or low birth weight. RCPsych is urging women and their partners to seek support for these treatable conditions. Dr Trudi Seneviratne, consultant perinatal psychiatrist and immediate past RCPsych registrar, said: 'Women can experience an enormous amount of change, including increased stress factors when they become pregnant, and this may negatively affect their mental health. 'Postnatal depression is far more common than many people realise and can have a devastating impact on mothers, babies and families if left untreated.' Treatment for postnatal depression can include talking therapies or antidepressants. Dr Seneviratne stressed that medics are trained to ensure medication is safe to take when pregnant or breastfeeding, and warned that the risks of untreated depression outweigh the risk of antidepressants. ' Mothers who receive talking therapy and other forms of care from mental health services will often be able to recover, but some might be so unwell that they need medication, including antidepressants,' she said. 'Medication helps save lives. The dangers of untreated depression far outweigh the risks of antidepressants. 'The unnecessary deaths of mothers and sometimes their babies that result from failure to treat these conditions are truly devastating. 'Doctors are trained to ensure that the medication they prescribe is as safe as possible to take while pregnant or breastfeeding. Medication should be reviewed regularly, and any side effects closely monitored. 'For children to thrive, they need as good a start in life as possible, and this is important not only for the child and their mother but also communities and society as well. We all have a role to play in ensuring mothers and their partners feel confident seeking support when they need it.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Up to 85,000 women may have had postnatal depression last year, analysis finds
Up to 85,000 new mothers in England may have been impacted by postnatal depression last year, according to new analysis. The illness can be 'truly devastating' when left untreated, potentially leading to the 'unnecessary' deaths of women and sometimes their babies, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) warned. Postnatal depression is a condition that can develop after childbirth. While many women may feel tearful or anxious after giving birth, this does not usually last for more than two weeks. Persistent feelings of sadness, low mood, a lack of interest in things and a lack of energy could indicate postnatal depression. Other symptoms can include trouble sleeping, withdrawing from other people, problems concentrating and scary thoughts, such as thinking about hurting your baby. Using Office for National Statistics data which shows there were 567,708 live births in 2024, RCPsych estimates between 56,000 to 85,000 mothers – or between 10% to 15% – may have experienced postnatal depression. The college highlights that maternal suicide is the leading cause of death in women from six weeks to a year after birth and also said prenatal mental illness – conditions that develop during pregnancy – can put unborn babies at risk of premature birth or low birth weight. RCPsych is urging women and their partners to seek support for these treatable conditions. Dr Trudi Seneviratne, consultant perinatal psychiatrist and immediate past RCPsych registrar, said: 'Women can experience an enormous amount of change, including increased stress factors when they become pregnant, and this may negatively affect their mental health. 'Postnatal depression is far more common than many people realise and can have a devastating impact on mothers, babies and families if left untreated.' Treatment for postnatal depression can include talking therapies or antidepressants. Dr Seneviratne stressed that medics are trained to ensure medication is safe to take when pregnant or breastfeeding, and warned that the risks of untreated depression outweigh the risk of antidepressants. 'Mothers who receive talking therapy and other forms of care from mental health services will often be able to recover, but some might be so unwell that they need medication, including antidepressants,' she said. 'Medication helps save lives. The dangers of untreated depression far outweigh the risks of antidepressants. 'The unnecessary deaths of mothers and sometimes their babies that result from failure to treat these conditions are truly devastating. 'Doctors are trained to ensure that the medication they prescribe is as safe as possible to take while pregnant or breastfeeding. Medication should be reviewed regularly, and any side effects closely monitored. 'For children to thrive, they need as good a start in life as possible, and this is important not only for the child and their mother but also communities and society as well. We all have a role to play in ensuring mothers and their partners feel confident seeking support when they need it.'
Medscape
25-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Psychiatrists Report Moral Injury Amid Mental Health Crisis
Delayed access to psychiatric treatment is causing 'moral injury' to UK psychiatrists and harming their patients, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has warned. College President Dr Lade Smith told delegates at its International Congress 2025 that psychiatrists face 'growing emotional and ethical distress' as they navigate a mental health system 'stretched beyond its limits'. The survey, which ran from 3 February to 2 March this year, received responses from 1012 psychiatrists in England, representing 6.3% of working members in the RCPsych database. Four in 5 (81%) respondents said they had directly experienced or witnessed moral injury during decisions about patient admission or discharge. The college defined moral injury as a strong cognitive and emotional response following events that violate one's moral or ethical code. Almost three quarters of respondents (73%) admitted making admission or discharge decisions 'based on factors other than the patient's clinical need and best interests'. Almost half (47%) reported daily delays in timely admissions or provision of inpatient mental health treatment due to capacity shortages. Almost as many (44%) said they regularly heard about patients waiting for treatment in emergency departments or places of safety. Worsening Mental Health Crisis NHS data indicate that one in four adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem each year. Mental health issues are the largest single cause of disability in the UK. A January report from the Health Foundation highlighted a recent sharp rise in mental health-related economic inactivity. The number of workers aged 16-34 limited in work by mental health has more than quadrupled in the last decade. The mental health charity Mind estimates that poor mental health costs £300 billion a year in England alone. Chronic Underfunding and Resource Shortages RCPsych criticised the longstanding underfunding of mental health services. Although mental illness accounts for more than 20% of England's disease burden, it will receive less than 9% of health funding this year. Smith told the conference in Newport, Wales, that the consequence of systemic issues, long-term underinvestment, and a failure to follow an evidence-based approach to care, have resulted in 'an erosion of standards in the mental health system'. The college reported that patients are becoming increasingly unwell or in crisis 'due to an inability to access timely psychiatric treatment'. They also face disrupted continuity of care that creates difficulties maintaining therapeutic relationships. Local capacity pressures may affect professional decisions and put patients at risk, Lade said. Consequently, practitioners are left feeling that their treatments standards fall below what they consider to be acceptable. This leads to feelings of guilt, shame, burnout, frustration, and isolation, according to the RCPsych. Increased Use of Unsuitable Out-of-Area Placements One in three psychiatrists who responded to the survey reported weekly admissions to inappropriate wards. Patients are often placed far from home where they are separated from their families. This leads to longer stays and higher NHS costs, despite government pledges to end this by 2021. The RCPsych's mental health watch dashboard shows that inappropriate out-of-area placements rose 22% from 32,617 between February-April 2024 to 39,779 in the same period this year. Survey respondents linked lack of community mental health investment and supported housing with increased crises, delayed discharges, impaired recovery, and more readmissions. Financial Pressures Override Clinical Judgement The college said that the survey findings painted 'a distressing picture of psychiatrists carrying the weight of trying to deliver the best possible care to people with mental illness, with limited means to do so'. 'Provisions are now so threadbare that psychiatrists are having to make life and death decisions based on financial rather than clinical concerns,' Smith said.
Glasgow Times
24-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Stretched services leaving psychiatrists ‘in emotional and ethical distress'
Speaking to delegates at the college's international congress this week, Dr Lade Smith will warn that 'psychiatrists across the UK are experiencing growing emotional and ethical distress as they are forced to navigate a mental health system stretched beyond its limits'. It comes as a survey of RCPsych members found almost three-quarters felt they had made decisions to admit or discharge people based on factors other than what is in the patient's best interests. According to Dr Smith, 'long-term underinvestment and a failure to follow an evidence-based approach has led to an erosion of standards in the mental health system'. She will add: 'Despite this, mental health staff across the NHS continue to provide outstanding care in the face of unprecedented demand and workforce pressures. 'Psychiatrists are committed to providing expert and timely treatment that prevents people entering mental health crisis. 'But the reality is that current targets are not based on patient outcomes. Pressures that override clinical judgment, combined with inadequate inpatient and community provision, are damaging the very foundations of compassionate, therapeutic and holistic care. 'Repeated failure to attend to the pressures facing mental health services mean that provisions are now so threadbare that psychiatrists are having to make life and death decisions based on financial rather than clinical concerns. 'At worst, these systemic pressures prevent clinicians from delivering the care they know is needed, risking people becoming more unwell, resulting in greater risk of mental health crisis and increased risk of suicide. This is causing deep distress and moral injury among psychiatrists.' Of the 860 RCPsych members who completed the survey in England, 73% felt they had made decisions to admit or discharge patients based on factors outside clinical need. Meanwhile, more than eight in 10 (81%) said they had experienced feelings of guilt, shame, burnout and frustration over these decisions. Members said a lack of investment in community mental health services lead to more patients going into crisis, while a lack of affordable housing is causing delayed discharges. Almost half (47%) of those who responded to the survey said they are facing delays in admitting or treating people because of a lack of local capacity. Dr Smith will add: 'These findings paint a stark picture of longstanding systemic issues in the way mental health services are currently commissioned and delivered.' She said the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan 'presents the perfect opportunity' for the Government to outline a 'clear ambition for the prevention and treatment of serious mental illness'. 'Alongside this, we need to see an updated long-term workforce plan with a recommitment to double medical school places as well as bolder promises to retain the workforce and increase specialty training places,' Dr Smith will tell delegates. An NHS spokesperson, said: 'The pandemic has had a huge impact on the nation's mental health with NHS staff treating a million more people now than we did in 2019, which is why we've drastically expanded access and boosted our mental health workforce by over 40,000 staff. 'We know more needs to be done to increase access to inpatient services, which is why we are working with the Government on the upcoming NHS 10 year-plan to create a service that is better for patients and is fit for the future.'
