Community Perinatal Mental Health Services across CNWL are now being managed more locally, reflecting a wider shift towards neighbourhood health and care that better supports families and communities.

From April, CNWL’s Community Perinatal teams moved from a single, service‑wide management model to place‑based management within boroughs. This means services in Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon, Kensington & Chelsea, and Westminster are now managed locally within their own boroughs.

A neighbourhood approach to health

Place‑based or neighbourhood health approaches organise care around the communities people live in, recognising that where we live has a significant impact on our health and wellbeing.

By bringing leadership, planning and decision‑making closer to local areas, services are better able to respond to the specific needs of residents and build stronger partnerships beyond the NHS.

Managing services at borough level makes it easier for our teams to work alongside GP practices, maternity services, local councils, voluntary organisations and community groups.

What this means for parents and families

For residents who use community perinatal services, this change is about how services are managed, not about the care they receive. There are no changes to clinical care, care pathways, appointments or specialist roles. Families will continue to see the same teams and access support in the same way as before.

Clinical standards, safety and collaboration across boroughs also remain in place, ensuring continuity and consistency of care.

The move to place-based management follows conversations and feedback from staff, who highlighted the value of clearer local leadership, stronger accountability and the ability to adapt services to the communities they serve.