Somerset Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership
Project case study
Maternal mental health services in Somerset
Somerset MNVP recruited eight volunteer service user representatives, with diverse experiences, to support and coproduce the new Somerset Maternal Mental Health Service (MMHS).
The volunteers were involved with design and implementation of the service from day one. They participated in working groups and focus groups; reviewed forms and literature; sat on the interview panel for each of the MMHS roles (peer supporters, administration, psychologist and midwife); and they will continue to support Somerset MVP to review and evaluate the service as it gets up and running.
“I hoped that I would be able to put our experiences and feedback to use, by sharing them to effect different pathways of care and experiences for others. Working with the MVP has been a fantastic experience. I feel that through the MVP, service user voices are well heard by the NHS and Public Health – it feels that the feedback is valued rather than being tokenistic.” Janet (Service user)
Find out more:
Somerset Maternity Voices Partnership Impact Report (2020-2021)
“The Perinatal Mental Health Teams have worked with the MVP as part of the development of the new MMHS and they have facilitated contact with women and other parents who have lived experience. The MVP representatives have really helped to plan and develop our services…Working with the MVP and listening to feedback ensures that the service we are providing is based on the actual needs of service users and provided in a way that people feel it is helpful.”
Get in touch
If you have questions or feedback about any aspect of our work or maternity services in Somerset, please get in touch:
somersetMVP@evolvingcommunities.co.uk