With the principal aim of promoting, facilitating and communicating all aspects of research into the mental health of women, their infants and partners, around the time of childbirth, on a worldwide scale, the Marcé Society has prolific members from all health care professions who partake in scientific, clinical and practice research.

Now, following a successful two year reign as president of the UK and Ireland Marcé Society (UKIMS) and with another two years in the pipeline, School of Health Science Lecturer, Dr Jane Hanley, has impressed the executive members so much that they have appointed her International Secretary.

Originally encouraged to apply for the post of UK President by Dr Cheryll Adams, the Lead Professional Officer for Strategy and Practice Development at the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA), Dr Hanley was informed of her new role following the Marcé Society’s AGM in Australia.

Dr Hanley said: "I will be responsible for communications, organising teleconferences with the Executive committee and generally liaising with the international groups and members – who are as far reaching as Australia, New Zealand, China, Singapore, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey, Vietnam and Sweden - and the President and Treasurer to identify how we can build on the existing structures to improve and strengthen the Society."    

The new post will also involve her working closely with the Society’s International President, Professor Kathy Wisner, a professor of psychiatry from Pittsburgh USA and the Treasurer Professor Vivette Glover, a professor of perinatal psychobiology.

Working with high profile scientists will come as no surprise to Dr Hanley, whose work as President of UKIMS has not gone unnoticed. 

She said: "Coordinating and chairing meetings with executive members, psychiatrists, health visitors, midwives, researchers, and biochemists and non-government organisation representatives on topics such as administrative, finance and research issues, has helped me in my aim to raise the profile of perinatal mental health issues in the UK and Ireland."

Already getting stuck in her new presidential role, Dr Hanley has been involved in organising conferences across the country, establishing the newsletter 'Perinatal Perspectives' and arranging for the administrative duties of the society to be taken over by international consultants.

She has also set up links with the charity 'Fatherhood Institute', the Community Service Improvement programme in England and the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association.

Commenting on her appointment Cheryll Adams said:  'At CPHVA we are very proud of Jane’s achievements on behalf of the health visiting profession, in particular her contribution to tackling this very debilitating illness faced by so many mothers. She has made a very significant contribution to the success of the UK Marcé Society and we are sure this will be equally significant in the International Marcé Society.'

Dr Hanley added: "This new role, alongside my capacity as UKIMS President, will certainly be a challenge and taking everything into consideration at the moment seems quite daunting!

"As the first nurse and health visitor in the UK to hold such positions, I am extremely honoured. The School of Health Science has been a tremendous support, and I can only hope to continue to bring credit to the School, as well as the Marcé Society, but this time with an international perspective.

"I also wish to enhance my capacity as an advocate for the Society and continue to be, in some small way, a pioneer for mothers’ mental health issues."

For further information please contact Rachel Williams, Marketing Officer at the School of Health Science, on +44 (0)1792 602472 or r.williams@swansea.ac.uk