A Mum's diary of goings-on in the move to BabyFriendly in the Community
- The Northwest achieved the highest percentage of infants with known breastfeeding status as a percentage of infants due a 6-8 week check for Q1 VSB11 reporting, this represents the best performance across all regions.
- Primary Care Trusts that failed the validation criteria have all been contacted and reasons for failing have been discussed along with plans to improve.
- Copies of the latest version of the validation criteria for 2008/09 have been shared with all relevant PCT staff.
- 12 out of 22 (54%) Northwest areas have selected NI53 in their Local Area Agreement. 8 areas have identified it as one of their national priorities and a further 4 have it as a local indicator.
- Additional support has been offered to Local Area Agreement areas where NI 53 has been selected and the PCT failed the validation criteria at Q1.
- A briefing paper has been provided to HCOP and C&YP LAA leads about NI53 including the latest information about the refresh process and the dates when Q2 data will be published.
- A questionnaire has been sent to all PCTs to find out if there is an Infant Feeding Co-ordinator in post (both at the PCT and provider organisations), the wte for the post and the pay grade. Job descriptions have also been requested. The results of this mapping activity will be available for Nov 10th.
- Work is underway to promote the UNICEF Baby Friendly university standard award and to influence NW providers to ensure that, as a minimum, Standard 2 “All students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support breastfeeding mothers” is fully met.
- The progress of all Northwest PCTs and hospitals towards achieving Baby Friendly status was mapped in Dec 07 and this has now been updated.
- 3 sub-regional infant feeding coordinator networks have been established to ensure that all Infant Feeding Co-ordinators have access to peer support.
- Work is underway with the regional Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator to produce some guidance relating to breastfeeding and teenage mums.
- Although the NICE commissioning tool for breastfeeding peer support services has been welcomed it is becoming evident that a comprehensive commissioning toolkit for breastfeeding services is required. If there are no plans to produce one nationally this may be commissioned for the NW region to go alongside the NW Breastfeeding Framework.
- A working group has been established to explore the feasibility of providing a regional solution to the issue of dealing with disseminating new and important information from formula milk representatives. Blackpool and North Lancashire PCTs have a best practice model in place (our 'Infant Feeding Information Team', which meets monthly) and it is hoped this can be replicated at a regional level.
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