Screening for depressive disorders | Right Decisions

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Mental health in pregnancy and after birth (SIGN)
Recommendations for health and social care professionals
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Screening and assessment
Screening for depressive disorders

Please update your RDS mobile app to version 4.7.1

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.

To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

Administer the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to screen for women/birthing parents for a possible depressive disorder in the antenatal and postnatal period.

Arrange a further assessment of perinatal women/birthing parents with an EPDS score of 13 or more.

For women/birthing parents with a positive score of 1 or above for Question 10 on EPDS, undertake or arrange further assessment and if there is any disclosure of suicidal ideation, take further action in accordance with local policy.

Complete the first antenatal screening as early as practical in pregnancy and repeat screening at least once later in pregnancy.

Complete the first postnatal screening 6–12 weeks after birth and repeat at least once in the first postnatal year.

For a woman/birthing parent with EPDS score between 10–12, monitor and repeat assessment with the EPDS in 2–4 weeks’ time. Use clinical judgement in planning, monitoring and further care.

Repeat assessment with the EPDS at any time in pregnancy and in the first postnatal year if clinically indicated.

Use appropriately translated versions of the EPDS. Consider language and cultural appropriateness of any tool used to assess psychosocial risk.