Reflections upon interpersonal and team dynamics in a diverse mother and baby inpatient unit of East London

Tsoumpris T. Al Saraf S. Protti O. 

European Psychiatry 2019;56(Supplement 1): S320. 

Available online at this link 

Background and aims.- The City and Hackney Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) is a specialist 12 bedded ward based at Homerton University Hospital in Hackney, East London. The unit provides assessment and treatment of women who are at risk, or experience significant mental health difficulties during pregnancy (from 32 weeks) or within the first postnatal year. The unit serves the population of Hackney Borough - the 6th most diverse London borough- but also accepts referrals from outside borough, and often outside London. Women are nursed with their infants and the ward team is a specialized multi-disciplinary team led by the consultant psychiatrist and the ward matron. Our approach is multi-disciplinary, holistically focusing on mother's illness as well as its impact in the dyadic relationship of mother and infant. Our study aims to describe and reflect on the complex, unique and often challenging dynamics that arise in the context of perinatal mental illness, in a diverse ward environment. We offer perspectives as psychiatrists with training in psychodynamic (Dr. Tsoumpris) and creative arts therapies (Dr. Alsaraf). Methods.- Our study is qualitative and takes a descriptive and reflective approach. Results.- We comment on three case studies of women and their babies admitted on the MBU. We use a psychodynamic framework to conceptualise the interpersonal and team dynamics that arose when treating these patients. Conclusions.- Our observations will highlight the complex interpersonal and relational dynamics that may occur in women and babies during the perinatal period and how these can impact on the functioning of a diverse and busy MBU.