Women in Newham who have suffered a birth trauma are being offered a special support service.

Ocean is a therapeutic mental health service targeting women who have suffered a miscarriage, medical termination, a neonatal death or stillbirth or another kind of birth trauma.

To coincide with Perinatal Mental Health Awareness week in May, the service is hosting an east London- wide online webinar on Thursday 5 May.

Specialists from the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) will describe the kind of support people can expect to receive.

Dr. Danielle D’Mello, Counselling Psychologist and Ocean Lead for east London, says the experience of birth loss or trauma can be devastating and often people feel they have no alternative than to struggle on alone.

If lucky, they may have supportive family or friends. But now there is professional therapeutic support available.

She said the service offers an initial assessment within 28 days of someone making contact.

“The Ocean service is for all people living in the community and we have specific therapeutic groups – one for Black women and another for Bangladeshi women.”

For more information and to reg- ister for the Ocean webinar on 5 May visit or search online for Ocean East London or visit elft.nhs.uk

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