Call on professional departments in Northern Ireland
Marie-Louise Connolly, Denise O'Connor and David Hunter

BBC Spotlight

BBC

Shelley Browne is diagnosed with postpartum psychiatric after Ruby was born

A new mother, who was detained in a psychiatric hospital for five weeks, said she "feels like a prisoner" because she was separated from the baby.

Shelley Browne, a postpartum mentally ill, was admitted to the mental health order after birth three years ago.

In the UK, mothers are cared for in professional mother and infant units, but women in Northern Ireland are accepted by general psychiatric wards and separated from the infant.

The business cases for mothers and infant units have been overdue, but the Ministry of Health (DOH) said it is developed.

However, it also warns that any future unit depends on the determined funding.

Shelley told BBC Spotlight that she felt "lonely" and "sad" after getting off the car at the door of the Ulster Hospital's psychiatric ward without a daughter, but said the staff did their best.

"I volunteered to compete, and it was just the loneliest feeling in the world. I put a bag in the mental health ward, no babies," the 35-year-old said.

Each year, approximately 100 women in Northern Ireland receive similar care in adult psychiatric wards without babies.

What is postpartum psychiatric illness?

source: NHS

Shelley smiled at the camera as she stood on the beach. Her long hair is naturally dark, with the highlights of blonde hair, hanging down behind her shoulders. Shelley was wearing a light purple T-shirt with “healthy” and “self-love” on it. Behind her, a small piece of sand and the sea, cloudy sky and some mountains in the distance can be seen.

Shelley Browne

"I'm a childless mother, and I feel like a prisoner," Shelley said.

“She is not with me, I am in a psychological facility.

Seven health ministers supported the idea of ​​mother and baby units in Northern Ireland but never found funds.

Image of a man in a green shirt in a white t-shirt standing outside the front door of the house. He has deep sandy hair and stubble. He is helping to lift a little boy with a sofa. The boy is wearing a patterned T-shirt and green. On the right, a mother held the little boy and lifted him up. She wore a blue denim dress and medium-length dark hair with a bright spot of gold. Behind the three was a wooden door with long panes and some red bricks.

Danielle and Nial Sands and son Joe

Danielle Sands refused to stay with her first son, Joe, in 2022.

Instead, she relies on a professional community team.

“They know very well that when I go there, I won’t be with me.”

She said: “I have voices in my mind on 24/7 and they are negative.”

"Tell me everything I can't do, I'm not good enough."

Danielle and her partner Nial are supported by community experts Perinatal Mental Health Nurse.

The term perinatal period covers the time a woman becomes pregnant and the year after delivery.

Dr. Anderson's long dark hair and edges, on a narrow corridor with high ceilings. It looks like a very old building with magnolia painted with wood and red floors. Behind her was a blue door leading to the hallway and a small window. She was wearing a bright patterned top and a red lanyard that was hanging around her neck.

Dr. Julie Anderson is the Chairman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland

Each of the five health trusts in Northern Ireland receives recommendations for over 250 community services each year, but due to staff pressure, they can only accept about 70 patients at a time.

Dr Julie Anderson, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland, estimates that the number of women sent to the hospital could double or triple if a mother and baby unit is established.

"It's frustrating to know that our mom should be here in Northern Ireland," she said.

“And to be frank, honestly, we’ve been talking about it for nearly 20 years and we still haven’t.”

Quinn family photographed a woman in white wedding dress smiling on camera. She held a bouquet of white roses in front of her with her hands. Her blonde hair has been curled into curly hair, with a veil hanging behind her. The bride is seen behind her in a garden with benches, mid-level walls and bright bushes. Quinn family photos

Orlaith Quinn has less than 48 hours of giving birth to his third child

In 2018, Orlaith Quinn died at the Royal Jubilee Obstetrics Hospital in Belfast.

The 33-year-old gave birth to her third child, the daughter, in less than 48 hours.

Siobhan Graham said her daughter began showing signs of postpartum psychosis shortly after giving birth.

"To go in and have a baby, and then go back to the coffin and you have three children and you leave without a mother, it's not where you think you'll find yourself in a million years," she said.

Orlaith's body was found in a section of an unused hospital at night. She committed suicide.

Family tells the story of three people standing on camera in front of the window, with large trees exposed on the window. On the left is a young woman in a green dress. Her blonde hair is tied into a bread with floral display. Her earrings were hanging. A man in a white shirt and blue tie has two women's arms in the center. He has dark hair and turns gray. On the right is an older woman with blond hair and her shoulders are hung. She was wearing a black patterned top, which seemed to have flowers embroidered. Family Handout

Orlaith Quinn posing with parents Brendan and Siobhan (left)

A 2022 survey concluded that Orlaith's death was "foreseeable and preventable" and that there were many missed opportunities in her care and treatment.

The Belfast Health Foundation said in a statement it hopes to provide a sincere and unreserved apology to Orlyth’s family.

It added that its maternity team hopes to have the opportunity to meet Orlaith's family to provide an apology in person.

The foundation said it is committed to learning from Orlaith's death and has developed a training program to help employees recognize the wide range of perinatal mental health disorders and the risk of maternal suicide.

Coroner Maria Dougan tied the death together because there was no mother and baby unit and found that one should be established in Northern Ireland.

Dr. Black stands outside a modern building painted white with bright yellow surroundings. She wore a bright blue top and had medium length gray hair. Dr. Joe was looking at the camera, the hoop pendant hanging on the necklace. She is surrounded by bright bushes, plants and flowers in the sunny garden area.

Dr. Jo Black establishes a mother and baby unit in England

Dr. Jo Black, a consultant from Cookstown, played a role in establishing a mother and baby unit in Devon.

An eight-bed unit, the layout and decoration of the Jasmine hut meant it would not feel clinical.

It has areas where families can visit, and a group of experts.

She said it was "extraordinary" without similar units on the Irish island.

"All our evidence suggests that maternal suicide remains a major killer during maternal time," she said.

“We can’t avoid this, so these units saved lives.”

"Poor data collection"

According to a report by MBRRACE-UK, including Northern Ireland, between 2021 and 2023, 34% of late deaths were associated with mental health.

Maternal death is when a woman dies between six weeks and one year of pregnancy.

Currently, more than 3,500 women suffer from perinatal mental illness every year in Northern Ireland.

However, poor data collection may mean that the demand for perinatal mental health services is underestimated.

Spotlight has confirmed that the Ministry of Health has not yet implemented the 2017 recommendation of the health regulator to improve data collection.

At that time, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Agency (RQIA) stated that patient coding should be improved.

The Ministry of Health said it is planned to review coding practices of perinatal mental health status and related hospitalization reviews.

If you are affected by any of the issues in this story, you can find information and support on the BBC Actionline website.