AN urgent investigation is under way into how a mother killed her baby after being unable to receive mental health support for post-natal depression.
The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland is to launch a probe into the case as the government came under new pressure to undertake urgent improvements to care services for mothers after Erin Sutherland, 36, originally arrested for the murder of her 10-month-old daughter Chloe, pled guilty to a lesser offence of culpable homicide.
Sutherland, of Edinburgh, smothered the baby by placing her hand over her mouth and nose at their home in Parkhead View on February 3. The 36-year-old then called emergency services and told them "Chloe's not here anymore".
Children's charity NSPCC Scotland and staff forum Maternal Mental Health Scotland highlighted serious gaps in the care of women suffering from post-natal depression in Scotland just two months ago calling on the Scottish Government to take action to protect two generations - vulnerable mothers and their children.
Jamie Hepburn, minister for sport, health improvement and mental health wrote to the Very Rev Dr Graham Forbes, the chairman of the mental welfare watchdog to ask them to "thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the case".
Mr Hepburn said NHS Scotland would "look closely" at any findings by the MWC "to ensure every action is taken to prevent deaths like this from happening in the future".
The High Court in Edinburgh heard Sutherland had previously received hospital treatment for post natal depression in 2006, when an older child was eight months old.
The court heard that when Sutherland's family doctor contacted a perinatal mental health team for her to see a community psychiatric nurse (CPN) following a consultation in December last year, when Chloe was eight-months old, support could not be offered.
Advocate depute Iain McSporran said: "That team and the CPN were unable to offer support now that the baby was older than six months."
The prosecutor said he understood after consulting with psychiatrist John Crichton that "generally speaking" six months is a point beyond which post natal depression (PND) is no longer considered a risk.
Mr McSporran told the court: "I do not think that I misrepresent Dr Crichton when I say that he believes that a different system, and I emphasise system rather than the actions of any individual, might well have seen a different outcome."
An MWC spokeswoman said: "We will liaise with local services and the procurator fiscal to make sure that this case is fully investigated.
"Any mother who is acutely unwell should receive appropriate care, and we support the fact that the Mental Health Bill currently going through Parliament will
strengthen health boards' responsibilities to all mothers who are mentally unwell, not just those diagnosed with post-natal depression."
Harriet Hall of NSPCC Scotland said: This case highlights the devastating impact that not giving parents who are struggling with mental health issues support has
on families and certainly it highlights the the urgent need to address these gaps in perinatal mental health provision which we identified.
"The idea that after a certain period of time, your mental health issues suddenly clear up, that there is a finite time when that happens is really ludicrous."
Every year between 5500 and 8000 women in Scotland suffer from depression and anxiety during and shortly after pregnancy.
The NSPCC says their data shows that 14per cent of mothers say they had poor mental health 10 months after their baby was born.
Viv Dickenson, director of children and family services with Church of Scotland's social care arm, CrossReach who Sutherland was referred to for a short time said they "did our best to support her ".
She said CrossReach backed the two-month old NSPCC and MMHS report highlighting the lack perinatal mental health services in Scotland which called for further training for midwives and health visitors as well as widening service provision so that more families could access the most appropriate support according to their individual needs.
CrossReach said it was aware of a "postcode lottery" in perinatal mental health provision highlighted through its Bluebell campaign.
Ms Dickenson said said: "CrossReach is calling on central and local government to follow the report's recommendations and extend training and service provision so that many more parents can get the help they need at this crucial time for families."
Dr David Farquharson, medical director for NHS Lothian, said: "We have carried out an internal review and are also strengthening communications between the team and other healthcare workers, including GPs, to ensure they are aware of the full range of services available in Lothian."
He said mums with babies over the age of six months can be referred into general adult outpatient services. If inpatient psychiatric care is required, then the mum and baby can be referred to the Mother and Baby Unit in Livingston up until the baby is 12-months-old.
He said the Lothian Perinatal Mental Health Community Team also provides support to colleagues for any issues relating to perinatal mental health.
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