At Coombe Wood, we are extremely proud of our experienced and expert team of clinicians, nurses, therapists and support staff who deliver a high-quality service to mothers/birthing parents, baby’s and their families.
The care, support and treatment you receive will be based on the team’s assessment of you and your babies needs, and this will be regularly reviewed.
Here is an overview of the team who will be supporting you at Coombe Wood:
We have a consultant psychiatrist, specialty doctor and trainee doctor. They are specialists in mental health.
The doctors will meet with you regularly to talk with you about your experiences and symptoms and make anongoing assessment of your concerns and needs. Doctors will talk with you about your mental health, and alsophysical health, the relationship with your baby and the support you have at home. They will also talk with you about relationships and social networks.
Doctors can also prescribe medication and this is discussed and reviewed with you carefully. Doctors work Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. We have duty doctors outsideof these hours.
The Psychologists and Psychotherapists offer different kinds of psychological treatments. These may be one-to-one, with your baby, with your partner or family. These help to improve your understanding of yourself and can teach you more helpful ways of coping with difficult and stressful situations.
Psychologist
Psychologists will provide psychological assessments and formulation (shared understanding) of your difficulties. Psychologists will provide therapy to help promote your emotional wellbeing and to help develop the bond between amother/birthing parent and their baby. We have a senior perinatal psychologist and an assistant psychologist.
Art Psychotherapist
The art psychotherapist provides a form of psychological treatment in which mothers/birthing parents have the opportunity to express (through art materials) difficult or worrying thoughts and feelings that are not easily verbalised.The aim of this therapy is to support and encourage self-help and self-development. Art Psychotherapy groups are delivered on Thursdays. Some mothers/birthing parents will benefit from individual art psychotherapy and this will be discussed with you as part of your therapy plan.
Family Therapist
The family therapist works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development. These sessions emphasise and support family relationships and adjustment to parenthood as an important factor in psychological health for both women and their partners and other children. Our systemic family therapist works at the unit on Wednesdays.
Occupational Therapist
Support you to develop and enhance your functioning in your new role as a parent. They help create a balanced routine that enables you to provide practical and emotional care to your baby while still managing to engage in other important areas of your life.
Mental health nurses promote health, wellbeing and aim to minimise distress. Their role includes assessments, therapeutic interventions and care with the aim of empowering individuals.
You will have a ‘named nurse’. This nurse will be your primary nurse and will help you plan your care, in collaboration with the other professionals.
Nurses work shift patterns and there are nurses at the unit 24/7.
Nursery nurses are experts in all things ‘baby’. They will support you with your baby care, help develop plans with you specific to your needs. Nursery nurses advise and educate on aspects of baby’s health.
They also liaise withthe Health Visiting Team and breast-feeding nurse about baby’s health.
Nursery nurses work shift patterns, there will always be a nursery nurse on day shifts and at night.
The social worker in our team will assess the social needs of the family and provides a care package that works in the best interest of the family.
Our team may liaise with a social worker in the local authority (your community) who can offer additional support for parents and their children relating to finance, healthcare, housing and parenting. A social worker’s main responsibility is to help promote the safety of you and your baby.
Our social worker is based at the unit Monday to Thursday.
Our peer support workers have lived experience in mental health, which means they have also been on a mother and baby unit. They work with mothers/birthing parents to support them during their time with us and promote that recovery is possible.
The healthcare assistants work with the Nursing Team to deliver care, and support you and your baby with your needs. They facilitate the day to day running of the ward.
Healthcare Assistants create a safe space on the unit and will be there as much as possible to support you and yourbaby.
They work shift patterns and there will at the unit 24/7.