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
1 April 2022
The IMPROVE HIT has focused on a single project this year, specifically looking to understand and address inequalities within perinatal mental health support. This project has been funded through NHS Charities Together. It aims to increase access to pe...
14 October 2021
Bristol Health Partners held its annual Conference on Tuesday 12 October 2021. Like last year, the event was held online due to the ongoing pandemic, with more than 110 academics, clinicians, commissioners and others from organisations across Bristol, Sou...
23 September 2021
Bristol Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) has joined forces with Bristol’s hospital charities on an innovative programme of support to benefit thousands in the community. Above & Beyond, Southmead Hospital Charity and...
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...
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...
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...
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.
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.
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.
23 October 2018
New Wellcome Trust funding means researchers from the University of Bristol can undertake a new study exploring fathers' early parenting experiences.
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.
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.
