Posted on: 1 October 2025
The Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) in West Yorkshire is raising awareness of new Perinatal Pelvic Health Services and is encouraging women and birthing people to seek help and advice throughout the pregnancy, birth and beyond.
The Perinatal Pelvic Health Service brings together midwives, specialist physiotherapists and medical colleagues to prevent and treat pelvic health problems. The multidisciplinary approach enables holistic care and shared clinics, minimising numbers of appointments supporting quicker access to care and treatment with equity of access being a key priority
Educational information around pelvic floor dysfunction risks, birth injuries and preventative actions such as pelvic floor exercises will be offered. All pregnant women and birthing people will be offered the opportunity to complete a pelvic health self-assessment early in pregnancy. Additional support will be offered as required based on individual assessment.
The West Yorkshire Trusts are progressing implementation of services. For more details of the aims and the progress to date of the service visit the PPHS website.
Rebecca Crossland, Pelvic Health Specialist Midwife at Mid Yorkshire said:
“I'm delighted that the new NHS perinatal pelvic health service (or PPHS) has come to West Yorkshire. This is a specialist service designed to improve the prevention, identification and treatment of pelvic floor problems that can occur during pregnancy and in the first year after birth. Importantly the service has been designed and standardised across all Trusts meaning all women will be offered the same level of high-quality care wherever they are across West Yorkshire.
“One of the main priorities of the PPHS is to ensure equity of access so whether a woman lives in a large city or a rural community. We are reducing variation and removing barriers and making sure no group of women is excluded. The service is available for all women who are pregnant and for those up to 12 months postpartum, this includes women experiencing symptoms such as urinary or faecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain or any other concerns related to pelvic floor function. Importantly, it's also for women who may not yet have symptoms but who want advice on prevention and recovery.”
Debi Gibson, Director of Midwifery at the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board said:
“The NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of our people, and ensure they have access to the services they need to live well throughout their lifetime. This starts from birth, which is why our Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) works with pregnant women and birthing people, and parents, to improve the care and support provided before pregnancy, during pregnancy and beyond. This is in line with the NHS’s Long-Term Plan ambition to make sure everyone gets the best start in life.
“The implementation of Perinatal Pelvic Health Services across West Yorkshire will improve the prevention, identification, and referral to NICE-recommended treatment for pelvic health problems during pregnancy and at least one year following birth, with the aim of reducing the number of women living with pelvic health problems postnatally and in later life.
“We are pleased to share that all Maternity Services within West Yorkshire are now able to offer additional support to women and birthing people during the antenatal and postnatal periods. Currently referrals into the service will be to the pelvic health physiotherapist, using established routes. As services evolve self-referral and single point of access points will be available.”
A short presentation providing an overview of the service for health and care professionals is available here PPHS service introduction video.
Hospital Trusts across West Yorkshire progressing implementation of Perinatal Pelvic Health Services:
- Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust