Counselling Service

Counselling Service

Women’s Health Counsellors are part of the team providing care in The Centre for Women’s Health. They offer emotional support for women accessing the services of Maternity and Gynaecology and for parents with babies on the Neonatal Unit.

They are a small team and so they have very specific referral criteria which reflect the limits of their resource. They often have a short waiting list.

If you are unsure about whether or not you would appreciate some counselling following the death of your baby this is quite normal. Often people need some time to deal with their immediate feelings of loss before they can make a decision to see a counsellor.

Some people only want to speak to their immediate family and friends; others may wish to speak to someone from their faith or community group. Everyone is different.

If you do want to speak to a counsellor please contact the service within 4 months of your discharge from hospital. This does not mean that the counsellors won’t meet with you beyond 4 months but just that you need to let them know by 4 months that you would like to be seen. Please be aware that if you have a few weeks waiting that this does not indicate that your request is not important. Telephone: 01392 406678 Email: tr.cwhcounsellors@nhs.net

There is a confidential answer phone on the Centre for Women’s Health Counselling Service direct line and someone will phone you back as soon as they are able.

The referral criteria for the service can be viewed at:

www.rdehospital.nhs.uk/services/maternity-andobstetrics-birth-and-babies/postnatal

You can also contact your GP for advice on counselling especially for other family members such as siblings or Grandparents.