APP Workforce Training launches
Last month Jess, Ian and Anna ran the first of our exciting new APP Workforce Training days at St. Ann’s Hospital in North London. These days, commissioned by NHS Trusts from across the county, have been designed to equip medical professionals with an in depth understanding of all aspects of PP. This first group of twenty spanned a broad spectrum of professional roles within the Perinatal Mental Health Service for this area, including Midwives, Social Workers, Health Visitors, Psychologists, Psychiatrists and CPN’s.
Anna kicked off the day by telling her personal story, hearing this first hand experience of PP, took the professionals inside the mind of someone experiencing psychosis and provided them with the opportunity to ask lots of questions about the nature of the illness and the impact it can have on mother, baby, partners and families. Ian then gave a detailed insight in to the clinical features of PP, diagnosis, risk factors, causes, outcomes and public health importance. He shared latest research and answered an array of different questions about both PP and other SMI’s, giving the professionals a unique chance build their individual knowledge.
To ensure professionals went away armed with new ways of thinking about and dealing with the illness, we created three PP case studies for them to consider. These examples highlighted different aspects of the illness and opened up discussions on preconception planning, treatment, recovery, complex cases and the role of professionals.
Jess brought the day to a close by explaining the role of APP in furthering the understanding and awareness of PP and showed the impact the charity has had in the media and at government level with policy change. The attendees were particularly interested in the research that has been conducted, the ways in which the APP forum can provide an empathetic community for women recovering from the illness and said they would go back into the work place feeling more confident in dealing with the illness.
We were delighted with the impact of the day and this first group of twenty, left the day, resolved to do their bit to advance PP care in the perinatal period.
“I enjoyed the broad range of information provided, the way it was presented was excellent and informative. Hearing a real life experience and having a professor present to provide research was very helpful in giving us insight. Thank you all.”
“Today was excellent, it felt up to date, evidence-based and sharing the lived experience was very helpful. There was a nice mix of disciplines and experience in the room.”
To find our more about APP Workforce training as well as our Experts by Experience talks please see here, or, get in touch for more information.