FPSS Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to some frequently asked questions for families

What are the aims of the service?

To provide specialist and person-centred psychological support for families who are part of the Independent Review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Who provides the service?

A dedicated team of Psychological Therapists with specialist expertise in working with families whose lives have been impacted by the distress and trauma of their maternity experiences. The service is provided by the Condition Management Company and is called the Family Psychological Support Service (FPSS).

Who can access the service?

The service is for all families who are part of the Independent Review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Anyone within the family can access the service, including parents and carers, siblings (including those under 18 years), and other family members such as grandparents.

How can I access the service?

Referrals can be made via professional or self-referral by calling 0115 200 1000 or via email at enquiries@fpssnottingham.co.uk. The service also accepts direct referrals from the Independent Maternity Review Team, led by Donna Ockenden. The service website for more information is www.fpssnottingham.co.uk.

What does the service offer?

When the service receives a referral, an initial session is arranged. Individuals can attend alone or with family members. The session will last for around an hour and will usually be with a Wellbeing Navigator; this is a chance for the person to tell the story of what they have been through in a safe and supportive context, and to consider the support that would work best for them. The Wellbeing Navigator will work with the individuals to understand the areas of focus and design a package of treatment that works. This may include a range of different therapies or wider support needs. The Wellbeing Navigator will share the information with the clinical multidisciplinary team to support decision making and ensuring that the most
appropriate options are considered.

Everyone is offered meaningful choice about how their treatment will take place. The service is designed to be flexible, and families will have a choice as to whether their session takes place face to face, online or via telephone. The service can offer home visits where needed. The service has a clinic located on Clinton Avenue in Carrington close to public transport links, with free dedicated parking and ground level access.

The Wellbeing Navigator will remain as a centralised point of contact for any additional support or feedback throughout the service journey.

Are services available in languages other than English?

The service can arrange an interpreter to support you in your sessions for face to face, remote or home visit sessions. We can arrange for you to have the same interpreter throughout your care and will aim to course particular interpreters if you have someone you feel most comfortable with. Information in various languages is available on our website at www.fpssnottingham.co.uk/languages

Can I access additional support to meet my needs?

It is not recommended to engage in therapeutic interventions with different services at the same time, unless to address distinct or different difficulties. The reasons for this are that two therapies may conflict with one another as well as the potential extra demand this could place upon the individual undergoing treatment. Sometimes this could lead to increased distress or poor outcomes. The Family Psychological Support Service can also support you with wider issues that may be outside your maternity experience for example with debt, housing, or employment issues.

Feedback

We want to understand how families experience the support offered by the Family Psychological Support Service. As part of your care you will be asked a few questions during and after using the service about whether the service has met your needs. This feedback will help us to continually improve the service we provide to families.