Introducing the Perinatal Pelvic Health programme

The NHS Long Term Plan set out a commitment to ensure “women have access to multidisciplinary pelvic health clinics and pathways across England by March 2024.” Earlier this year the Cheshire & Merseyside LMNS was successful in their bid to become a Fast Follower for the Perinatal Pelvic Health Service (PPHS), to improve the prevention, identification and treatment of ‘mild to moderate’ pelvic health issues following birth, and reduce the number of women living with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) postnatally and later in life.

Pelvic health is poorly understood and PFD is under recognised and under-reported problem, due to lack of clarity around what constitutes PFD and support available to manage it. PFD encompasses a wide spectrum of bladder/bowel/pelvic pain and sexual dysfunction and there is significant stigma attached to these symptoms, limiting opportunities for women to discuss their condition. It also has recognised links to mental health.

The new programme will include recruitment of specialist colleagues, including:

• Pelvic health physiotherapists.
• A midwife with specialist training in pelvic health
• A Physio Assistant roles working within the teams to integrate support for women and their families.

Further elements of the programme include a programme of pelvic health training to assist healthcare professionals in supporting this patients, as well as an extensive engagement with stakeholders, service users and health professionals.

"As a specialist physiotherapist in pelvic health for over 20 years I am excited for this opportunity to develop services which will impact women’s health." said Kate Walsh, Project Lead.