NHS England have confirmed that new and expectant mums across the county will be given greater access to mental health care by next April.

The care is given by teams which can be made up of doctors,nurses,social workers, psychiatrists, occupation therapists, nursery nurses and administrative staff depending on the needs of the mother.

These teams can then give psychiatric and psychological assessments and care to women during their pregnancy and for a period after they give birth.

In addition to this they are able to offer advice to women with existing or previous mental health conditions who are thinking about conceiving.

Such services already exist in Suffolk but will be expanded under the new proposals with the number of staff working in perninatal mental health services in Suffolk set to increase.

£23 million will be rolled out nationally to improve services with work on expanding these services beginning almost immediately.

Claire Murdoch, national mental health director for NHS England said: “Mental ill health doesn’t discriminate.

“It can happen to anyone at any time and it disrupts life not just for mums but the whole family, which is why we are absolutely committed to driving forward improvements in care and ensuring this important area of mental health continues to get the attention it deserves.”

According to NHS England one in five women will experience a mental health problem during their pregnancy or after birth.

Depression and anxiety disorders are said to be among the most common conditions affecting women during this period of time.

Dr Alain Gregoire, chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance said: “In over 30 years working for the NHS I have never seen any national programme produce such a rapid, effective and widespread transformation in services.

“These new, top quality services have led directly to life saving improvements in care for women and babies that will hugely reduce immediate and long term suffering.

“The new developments announced today in England look set to eliminate a long-standing and serious postcode lottery, and will undoubtedly make England the world leader in mental health care for mothers and babies.”