‘Seren Lodge’ chosen as name of new regional mother and baby mental health unit

The name of a new regional Mother and Baby mental health unit has been revealed.

‘Seren Lodge’, which will be the first of its kind across Cheshire, Merseyside, and North Wales, will be based at the Countess of Chester Health Park.

Preparatory building work officially started in November on the £7.5m single storey building, with the name selected by mums who have experienced maternal mental ill-health.

Seren Lodge is also a nod to the new cross-border partnership with NHS Wales.

“It was important to the group to choose a name which signified hope and positivity, but also something which was welcoming to families no matter where they live,” said Nia Foulkes, expert by experience

“The name ‘Seren’ translates as ‘star’ in Welsh and ‘lodge’ felt homely and not clinical at all, which we thought was perfect.”

Sarah Dearden, added: “Having previously been admitted to a unit which was really far away from home, it is particularly exciting to see the new site as it today and know that our ideas and designs are being put into action.

“Units like this make a huge impact by keeping babies and their mothers together at a crucial time.”

The unit is a result of a partnership between Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCHUB), Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, NHS England and NHS Wales.

It see will see a disused training centre transformed into a new specialist, eight bedded unit for perinatal mothers, babies and their families.

Once open next winter, the unit will work alongside the existing regional Community Perinatal Mental Health service who already care for thousands of women every year.

The occasion was marked with a special ground-breaking ceremony.

Mums from across the region joined members of the clinical, construction and project teams to place the first official spade in the ground.

Preparatory work on the project is progressing well with both external and internal designs agreed, enabling building works underway and recruitment for the new centre set to begin imminently.

Once open, Seren Lodge will provide a home from home for women and their babies and include a nursery, sensory room, and multiple lounges to support quiet time and family visits.

Having access to outside spaces is central to the development with two garden areas and a walking pram loop, with families benefitting from close access to the Countess Country Park.

Suzanne Edwards, CWP director of operations and deputy CEO, said: “The new unit will support new and expectant mothers in a therapeutic environment which has been purposefully designed for people experiencing maternal mental health difficulties, such as post-natal depression, psychosis or a relapse of an existing mental health condition.

“It is estimated that one in four women experience mental health problems in pregnancy and during the 24 months after giving birth.

“Whilst only a small number of women will need admission to a specialist unit like Seren Lodge, I’m delighted that we’ll be able to offer this care closer to home, in addition to the thousands of families we see in the community every year.”

Dr Alberto Salmoiraghi, medical director for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Division, said: “We’re delighted that Seren Lodge will enable high quality specialist care to be provided to new and expectant mothers from across North Wales, Cheshire, Wirral, and Merseyside in a purpose built, recovery focused environment.

“This level of specialist support is currently offered to North Wales women in facilities as far afield as Manchester, Chorley and Birmingham.

“Women from North Wales who have a lived experience of perinatal mental illness have played a central role in designing this new service and we’re very pleased to see that this is reflected in the name of the unit.

“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners in Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to deliver this much-needed unit.”

The news has also been met positively by national charity, Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) who has campaigned for greater access to specialist perinatal mental health care.

Dr Jessica Heron, their chief executive, added: “We are so delighted to see the progress being made.

“The new unit will mean new mothers across North Wales, Cheshire and Merseyside with severe postnatal illness will be cared for appropriately and supported with parenting, without having to travel miles from their families to other areas of the UK or ending up in adult psychiatric wards separated from their newborn.”