Coombe Wood Mother and Baby Unit offers specialist inpatient treatment to women suffering from mental health problems after the birth of a baby.
The unit also assesses and treats parenting difficulties.
It provides a comprehensive medical and psychological assessment and treatment of each mother’s mental health problem, while supporting and promoting the care of her infant.
The involvement of partners, other family members and friends is encouraged.
The mother’s care of her baby is supervised to a varying degree, with the child’s safety as the prime consideration.
Why admit mother and baby together?
In cases of depression, puerperal psychosis and other mental disorders, the separation of mother and baby can create a secondary disturbance of bonding.
When the competence of a mother with an established mental illness such as schizophrenia is in question, joint admission offers the opportunity for in-depth assessment and future planning.
An observed disorder of the mother/infant relationship may require assessment and treatment in a specialised mental health unit.
Assessment and Treatment
There is a structured weekly programme incorporating:
- Regular reviews by medical staff
- Review of nursing care plans
- Psychotherapy group
- Art therapy group
- Occupational therapy group
- Parenting skills group
- Physiotherapy
- Baby massage
- Fathers’ groups
- Community meetings
- Health visitor’s clinic
- Evening cooking rota for mothers
- Family/couple therapy
- Current affairs
- Community awareness
- Road safety awareness
In addition, staff can offer counselling to individuals, couples or families.
Referrals, Admission and Discharge
Admissions can be arranged rapidly, subject to need and bed availability. If no bed is available, the mother’s name will go on a waiting list.
In some cases we may need to gather more information or to carry out a pre-admission assessment before deciding whether to admit.
The unit accepts referrals for social workers, psychiatrists, obstetricians and primary care professionals. It may be necessary for the local responsible psychiatrist to be involved in the referral process.
In most cases we can admit urgently if information provided by the referrer suggests that this is appropriate. We can process a referral more quickly if all appropriate background information is given to us at the time of referral.
A member of the medical staff will contact the referrer within the next working day to discuss the suitability of the referral and arrange admission if appropriate.
How to refer
Contact:
Dr Jona Lewin, Consultant Psychiatrist 020 8937 6355
Brenda Nahaul, Unit Manager 020 8955 4495
After Discharge
The service aims to maintain close links with the referrer and other involved professional agencies during the mother’s admission to the unit. There are usually several CPA/planning meetings during the stay, with the aim of involving the local agencies in monitoring and supporting the mother on discharge.
Before discharge, the team organises an appropriate package of aftercare in partnership with local agencies.
The Staff
The unit is staffed by an experienced and well-established multidisciplinary team. It includes:
- Adult and child psychiatrists
- Art therapist
- Child psychotherapist
- Domestic staff
- Family therapist
- Liaison health visitor
- Nursery nurse
- Occupational therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Psychiatric nurses
- Psychologist
- Secretary
The Facilities
The unit is in the grounds of the Park Royal Centre for Mental Health, next to Central Middlesex Hospital. It is purpose-built with modern facilities which are complemented by a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
The unit is spacious and has:
- Therapy rooms
- Sitting rooms
- Baby changing rooms
- A fitted kitchen and separate milk kitchen
- Nurseries
- A large dining room
- A laundry room
- Access to two small enclosed gardens
- Indoor/outdoor play area
There are individual bedrooms (two en-suite) for mothers, and several bathrooms and toilets throughout the building.
Coombe Wood can accommodate ten mothers and eleven babies up to the age of 12 months. Admission of older infants will be considered in certain circumstances.
PALS Link Worker:
Rosemary Ackah Tel: 020 8208 7200
Visiting Hours*:
| Monday |
4pm - 10pm |
| Tuesday |
4pm - 10pm |
| Wednesday |
4pm - 10pm |
| Thursday |
4pm - 10pm |
| Friday |
4pm - 10pm |
| Saturday |
10am - 10pm |
| Sunday |
10am - 10pm |
*On weekdays earlier visiting may be negotiated with the nurse in charge is there is no therapy groups or appointments occurring