Improving Perinatal Mental Health (IMPROVE)

The Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT) is a team of mental health practitioners, women and children's health practitioners, commissioners and academics, working together to improve the identification of, services and support for parents with mental health issues before and after the birth of their child.

Improving the mental health of mothers and fathers during pregnancy and in the first postnatal year is a health priority, not only because it's important for parents but it's crucial for the health and wellbeing of the next generation. Despite being the focus of a NICE guideline and many reports, progress to improve the mental health and wider emotional well-being of parents remains limited.

Latest news and events

Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT 2020-21 update

20 July 2021

Co-directors Dr Jonathan Evans and Ruth Jackson reflect on IMPROVE HIT's achievements in 2020-21Over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic, the IMPROVE HIT has played a key role in bringing together a wide range of stakeholders in the perinatal menta...

HIT Conference goes virtual to address the impact of COVID-19 and wider health inequalities

20 October 2020

Bristol Health Partners held its annual Health Integration Team (HIT) Conference as an entirely virtual event this year because of the pandemic. The event, “COVID-19 Call to Action: What else can we achieve in health and social care?”, took place b...

2020 HIT annual conference presentations and interviews now available

8 October 2020

The 2020 Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Team Conference took place as a virtual event over the course of four days (28 September - 1 October 2020). More information on the speakers and sessions can be found here.Presentations from the event an...

Improving Perinatal Mental Health (IMPROVE) HIT reflect on 2019-20

7 May 2020

Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT) Directors Dr Jonathan Evans and Ruth Jackson reflect on the team’s achievements in the last year. In the past 12 months, we have focused on completing the evaluation of the current...

HITs secure £2.9 million in research funding in 2018-19

5 June 2019

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) have attracted nearly £2.9 million in research funding to Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire during 2018-19, for nearly 40 different projects.

Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT review for 2018-19

24 May 2019

Dr Jonathan Evans, Director of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT), gives an update on progress in 2018-19.

Bristol Health Partners to invest £176k in its Health Integration Teams

13 May 2019

Health Integration Teams (HITs) are set to benefit from £176k of investment from Bristol Health Partners in 2019-20. HITs requested funding from the partnership for a wide variety of projects, with the majority receiving funding.

Researchers explore ups and downs of early parenthood thanks to new funding

23 October 2018

New Wellcome Trust funding means researchers from the University of Bristol can undertake a new study exploring fathers' early parenting experiences.

Health Integration Teams secure nearly £1.5 million in the first quarter of 2018/19

24 September 2018

Bristol Health Integration Teams (HITs) have secured £1,438,000 of funding in the first quarter of 2018/19. This impressive contribution to the local health and care system is the result of efforts from a range of HITs.

Health Integration Teams attract nearly £4.7 million in 2017-18

15 June 2018

Bristol Health Partners Health Integration Teams (HITs) have attracted nearly £4.7 million in funding to the local health system in 2017-18.

Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT review for 2017-18

11 May 2018

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT), give an update on progress in 2017-18.

The winners of the Bristol Health and Care Awards 2017

31 October 2017

The city’s heroes of healthcare were recognised at a sparkling event hosted by the Bristol Post on Wednesday 25 October 2017.

Calling all dads…let’s talk

14 August 2017

Talking about the highs, and understanding the lows, of being a dad is the theme of a new project led by an inter-disciplinary team of academics from the University of Bristol.

Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT review for 2016-17

22 May 2017

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team, give an update on progress in 2016-17, including the successful application for a new specialist community perinatal mental health service.

HITs bring nearly £4m in funding to the region in last nine months

27 March 2017

Health Integration Teams (HITs) have brought £3,988,121 of funding to the region since July 2016. Some of these awards are for research, while others are for service innovation.

Mental Health HIT seminar proves a hit with commissioners

26 January 2017

Commissioners, researchers and people from voluntary organisations heard from Bristol Health Partners HITs seminar on 23 January. The theme of the seminar was 'Improving mental health care pathways across the STP footprint.

£1.3m mental health funding boost for new and expectant mothers

1 December 2016

New and expectant mothers in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire will now have access to specialist mental health support, thanks to new funding from NHS England.

Healthwatch Bristol publishes guide for public involvement in mental health services

9 September 2016

Healthwatch Bristol has published a guide for patients and the public, to help them find out how they can make their voices heard on local mental health services.

Health Integration Team model evaluation paper published

1 July 2016

The results of NIHR CLAHRC West's preliminary evaluation of the ‘Health Integration Team’ model have been published in BMC Health Services Research.

Our 2015-16 annual review is out now

27 June 2016

Our 2015-16 annual review was launched at our annual Health Integration Team (HIT) conference on 17 June. The Bristol Health Partners annual review showcases the work of the partnership and includes updates from most of our 20 HITs and a round-up of the...

Improving Perinatal Mental Health HIT review for 2015-16

24 May 2016

Dr Jonathan Evans and Inge Shepherd, Directors of the Improving Perinatal Mental Health Health Integration Team (IMPROVE HIT), give an update on progress in 2015-16.

Maternal mental health matters

4 May 2016

Today is the first World Maternal Mental Health Day organised by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance. One in five mothers experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy, birth and the early months of their child's life, but women don’t have to suffer...